<DIV><DIV>In a land where two countries have been torn by war for generations, Princess Jessa is sent as a peace offering to the country of Arravan, understanding all too well that she is being sacrificed upon the altar of her father's ambitions?and condemned to an uncertain and possibly short-lived future, if the machinations of her own family are any indication.<br><BR>But what she finds at Blackstone Keep is most certainly not what she expects, and for a daughter of royal blood who has known little of freedom and even less of love, the members of the Durand family are proving to be a very pleasant riddle to be solved?the youngest daughter, Darrius Durand, is the most surprising of all. A captain in the King's elite guard and filled with humor and good nature, Darry's considerable charms pull Jessa rather happily into an unexpected friendship that quickly becomes something more, promising passion and the fulfillment of her deepest desires.<br><BR>Jessa and Darry's relationship threatens the fragile peace, and the future of two countries might very well hang in the balance. When family secrets and hidden agendas begin to surface, as well as an ancient majik that Jessa has been preparing to use since the day she was born, a prophecy is set in motion that will thrust both lands into a bloody war of revenge and retribution?a war that love alone will not be able to stop.</DIV></DIV>