<p>&ldquo;Every day, I pray. That this love will die. That I may love you only until today, And tomorrow, this love will be no more.&rdquo; Born of an illicit affair, the ill-fated Imperial Princess Talia Roem Gwirta grows up warped in a world that denies her. With indifferent parents, hostile half-siblings, and servants who treat her with contempt, she survives by baring her thorns to anyone who dares approach. Yet before one man, even Talia&rsquo;s defences crumble&mdash; That man is Varkas Laedgo Siorcan, the noble heir of the East. As the vassal of the Imperial House and successor to a grand ducal line, he was forced into perfection from birth. Raised under training that bordered on ab*se, his emotions were dulled, leaving him a man who exists solely for family honour and duty. To fulfil a promise made to the late Empress, he becomes betrothed to Talia&rsquo;s elder half-sister, Aila. Shattered by despair, Talia slowly falls apart. But then&mdash; Her love, destined only for death, begins to face an unexpected turning point&hellip;</p>