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)

Raquel headed over to the middle aged woman, trying to act shocked as the duchess stormed to her. Around her noblewomen were murmuring in horror, all secretly enjoying the drama.


“Duchess Einar, what brings you to the Westerwyn Mansion?” Raquel questioned as she got to the duchess.


Duchess Einar glared at her sharply. “What brings me here?! You clearly know nothing about how things work here.”


“I don’t?” Raquel asked. “Please do explain what you mean, Duchess Einar.”


“I’m talking about this.” Duchess Einar waved her hand around. “You hold a tea party knowing I’m hosting one as if to cause discord among the noblewomen in this kingdom. You should know that if a duchess holds an event, there are no other events.”


Raquel smirked as she took a step towards the smaller woman. “You’re quite arrogant, Duchess. I think you’re forgetting who you’re addressing.”
