A thief turned spy must unravel an assassination plot against the fae prince by disguising herself as a princess competing for his heart in this entrancing romantasy by USA Today bestselling author Julie Hall.
For nineteen years, Rowan has fought to survive: first scavenging for scraps after being cast out of the orphanage, then trapped in a ten-year contract with a corrupt master. She longs for freedom but spends her days stealing trinkets from the highborn to pay off her servitude.
When a mysterious fae buys out her contract, Rowan jumps at the chance to escape. But his promise of freedom comes with a cost: uncover the assassin targeting Prince Dryden of the Ember Kingdom. To succeed, she must disguise herself as a princess, for the would-be killer hides among the royals vying for the prince's heart and, more importantly, his hand in marriage.
Thrown into a world of silks and finery, Rowan has mere weeks to learn to play the part of a princess before hunting the killer. Sneaking through gilded halls and eavesdropping come naturally, but the bonds she forms with the other princesses—and the prince's growing attention—are complications she never saw coming.
When whispers of enemies beyond the kingdom surface, Rowan realizes her mission may be bigger than she imagined. Yet every stolen glance with Dryden rips her apart and draws her closer to the one distraction she cannot afford: desire. Desire that could shatter not only her chance at freedom but the kingdom itself.
