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)

“How was the meeting with the delegates from Zirerith?” Raquel asked as Ryker entered her office a few minutes after Xavier had left.


He walked over to her desk and sat down across from her. “I believe it went well. The delegates will send word to their king and have him finalize any details. Once the deals are signed, the Ministry of Trade will take over.”


“I see..” Raquel mused, handing Ryker a plate of pastries she had saved for him. “By the way, Xavier just left a few minutes ago.”


“What did he come here for?” Ryker frowned as he took a slow tart off the plate. “Surely his network for delivering intel didn’t mean he needed to come here personally.”


“You’re right.” Raquel picked up the papers Xavier left. “However, this was more than just dropping off intel. Apparently his father has been trying to get him married. He isn’t interested, so decided to go with a contractual marriage to get his father off his back and have someone help him.”


Protecting What's Mine