Niapachad Island is a place lost in time-a haunting echo of a forgotten era. Its people cling to the old ways, draped in antiquated fashion, speaking in peculiar tongues, and abiding by an outdated hierarchy where the gentry still reign. To step onto the island is to enter a dream of candlelit balls, sweeping operas, and breathtaking vistas... but dreams can easily become nightmares. Whispers stir in the shadows, and not everything is as enchanting as it seems.

Lady Rebecca "Becca" Davis has always felt like a pawn in someone else's game. When her family announces her engagement to a nobleman from the elusive Higher Court, she feels more like a commodity than a daughter. Determined to reclaim her freedom, she plans to defy them at the island's grand ball. But one glance across the ballroom floor changes everything.

Enter Niklaus Dragomir, the enigmatic and powerful Duke of Belikov. A man who has never wanted for anything-until now. Becca's defiance ignites something dark within him. Her sharp tongue and fiery spirit stir a hunger he's long kept buried. And though she resists his pull, he is a master of persuasion... and secrets.

As Becca is drawn deeper into Niklaus's web, she begins to sense the truth behind the island's illusions-and behind the man who may hold her fate in his hands. What secret is Niklaus hiding behind those cold eyes? And when the mask finally slips, will Becca choose to run-or surrender?