For Selah, growing up on the fringe of her elite society has made her a less-than enthusiastic debutante. It has also made her wildly unprepared for the attention of a handsome, high-ranking official. When he asks for her hand in marriage, Selah finally has all her dreams within reach.

But some dreams are nightmares. When an old family secret surfaces, Selah's very existence is upended, and her only recourse is to enter a series of daunting trials to earn back her life, her title, and her betrothed.

Coming face-to-face with the ugly underbelly of her world, she realizes the shine was just an illusion, and her path forward just might take her somewhere unexpected. But how much of the journey is in her hands?