Following an eventful honeymoon, Carolina returns to the capital with Teodore and Edward. Her aim now is clear: restore Prince Gilbert’s health and resolve the brewing Malcosian succession crisis. As a newly revealed bearer of Divinity, only Carolina can cure the ailing prince and restore balance to a fractured empire. But to protect her, that gift must remain secret—and secrecy within the court breeds suspicion. As Carolina grows closer to Gilbert, whispers of scandal begin to circulate, led by the cunning Lady Monica Arendt, daughter of the ambitious Duke Arendt and a noblewoman with her sights set on the throne. Her goal? Marry Prince Gilbert, worm her way into the royal family, and seize control of Malcosias. But that ambition puts her on a collision course with Carolina. Tensions flare, hearts are tested, and the empire’s future is put on the line as Carolina must prove not only her power but her right to stand at the center of it all.