Tucked away in the remote territory of Ashen, Penelope Brave lives an ordinary, sheltered life until the day her papa goes missing. No one seems intent on finding him but her, so she breaks the rules… and ends up changing her world. When strangers from the northern kingdom of Orien arrive with news of her papa, but at a price, Brave learns that even the quiet city of Ashen has its secrets—the darkest of which just might be her.

Forced to trust the help of Aras Renn, the arrogant and regrettably handsome guard from Orien, Brave soon finds that if she wants to see her papa again, she's going to have to face a past she never knew she left behind. Together, they're thrust into a world of magic, lies, and hidden truths as Brave discovers there's a deadly war brewing in the north. What she doesn’t know is the answer to each side's victory can be found in her heart…

Determined not to follow the destiny the stars have laid out for her, Brave sets out to make her own, embarking on a harrowing journey where she must decide what matters most. Love or blood?