She is a ghost in a golden cage a lady in waiting who sees every lie whispered at court but keeps her own heart under lock and key. Arian is the king’s fiercest blade a guarded commander who hides his scars behind cold steel and a dangerous smile. They were never meant to cross paths. But when a midnight encounter in a hidden garden leaves his blood on her hands, a forbidden bond is forged in the shadows. Now, caught between an empire on the brink of betrayal and an irresistible, dangerous pull, they must choose between the duties that define them and a love that could destroy them both. Read Shadows and Steel now where the vipers wear crowns, and the only place to breathe is in the dark….