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)

The next morning, as dawn began to approach, Ryker and Raquel stood on the outskirts of the stone castle. The few people left behind also stood around them, wishing to send the couple off.


Despite the grim situation ahead of them, the air around everyone wasn’t so tense. In fact, Ryker felt there was a small air of excitement. He assumed it was because everyone was ready for the greatest battle of their lives to save their homes.


And their strongest warrior was leading the way.


“May the strength of our blood bring you victory!” Lady Elis declared loudly, before she wiped her finger across each of Raquel’s cheeks and forehead.


A black line was left behind, Lady Elis murmuring a small prayer as she painted each line on Raquel’s face. Lady Elis then turned her attention to Ryker.


He bowed his head, allowing Lady Elis to do the same to his face. It seemed Raquel’s tribe had accepted him as one of their own and were determined to send him off like they did for all their warriors.


Hunting Monsters (1)