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)

After Priestess Arstia ended the ceremony, she led Raquel and Ryker to a small room at the back of the temple. She told them they needed to register their marriage but Ryker found her excuse strange. Normally, priests in training were in charge of marriage registration.


However, Ryker decided to remain silent. He wasn’t sure what Priestess Arstia wanted but it probably had to do with the fact she had officiated their wedding. Ryker just hoped it was good. They had already gotten enough bad news after discovering Lady Diana’s true identity.


Once they were inside the small office, Priestess Arstia locked the door behind them and motioned for them to take a seat at the table. They did so and Priestess Arstia took the chair across the table.


Hale's Reapers