The last thing Riette expects on a snowy winter's evening is Meirdre's royal guard appearing on her doorstep. Their purpose? The king needs a bride, and tradition dictates the position is hers to accept. Desperate to secure her parents' future, she agrees to the marriage and is whisked away to Lochfeld Castle, all too aware her childhood friend is there as well-imprisoned as a rebel in the dungeons below.Leaving him to hang isn't an option, even as her nuptials and his execution grow closer. No matter what secrets the castle holds-mysteries she alone can see-or how desperate King Laurent is to marry an unknown peasant girl, the glittering crown in her future is nothing more than a distraction from her new mission: she'll free Thomas or die trying.But what happens when succeeding at either means the downfall of Meirdre?