Following his father's unjust treason accusation and execution, Ryker, heir to the Duke of Westerwyn, witnesses his world collapse. Left with his sister and mother, they teeter on the brink of catastrophe.
A glimmer of hope, however, arises as news circulates that the Cadilaria Empire's emperor plans to get his heir married—an enigmatic woman, shrouded in a half mask due to an alleged curse.
Given an unwelcome choice, the King compels Ryker to either wed the Masked Princess as the Duke of Westerwyn or face execution. Faced with this grave decision, Ryker, driven by the need to protect his family and restore honor, chooses to court the Masked Princess.
Determined to win her heart and avenge his father's demise, Ryker treads a perilous path, even if it means manipulating a potentially deadly royal ally.

The Masked Princess (Behind the Mask)

Ryker sat across from Raquel as they made their way to the temple in a six horse darwin carriage. He played with his gold cufflinks, a little nervous for the whole wedding ceremony. 


It seemed one of Lovarth’s high priestesses had decided to officiate the wedding. Ryker wasn’t sure if this was a good or bad thing. High priests and priestesses rarely got involved in things like royal weddings.


They normally roamed the land, stopping at various temples to help those in need, complete work assigned to them by the god they served or give blessings.


And seeing as Priestess Arstia was known for only working with commoners despite being one of the more powerful priests of Lovarth, Ryker was not sure how to take her wanting to bless their wedding. The last time a royal wedding had been blessed by a high priest was two hundred years ago.


Wedding Ceremony