A Courtier's Map

In a court of liars, the most dangerous thing you can do is let down your guard. Princess Eminea of Veridia knows her duty: smile, look pretty, and marry whichever pompous lord secures her father the best political treaty. But beneath her silken gowns beats the heart of a navigator who dreams of tides, star charts, and freedom. She has survived the stifling royal court by noticing everything and trusting no one.
Then she meets Lord Raymore. He plays the part of a charming, empty-headed noble visiting from a distant land perfectly. But Eminea sees the shadows in his eyes and the calculated way he watches the room. In a castle full of carefully crafted fools, Raymore is sharp, cynical, and the only person who matches her wit for wit. Their late-night conversations in the frost-tinged gardens spark a dangerous, intoxicating attraction.
Yet, Raymore is a man wrapped in secrets, and his presence in Veridia is no coincidence. As a midnight conspiracy closes in on the royal family, the walls of the palace become a trap. Eminea must decipher the truth behind the enigmatic lord before time runs out. The man she is falling for could be the key to unlocking her gilded cage... or the very architect of her destruction.