Princess Elissia, now High Queen Elissia, is still unhappy about her childhood marriage to High King Derand du Bahr. She, herself, is in love with Derand, but every time they have a disagreement and he punishes her, her doubt about his own love increases. When she saves Derand's life for the second time and demands to be released from the marriage, Derand loses his temper and agrees. But Derand does love Elissia, and now he's stuck with the rash promise he made. Somehow he has to find an honorable way out of the mess, solving the problem of his and Elissia's constant arguing - in the midst of assassins trying to kill him. Derand needs to do that before Elissia grows impatient and disappears on her own. Which, as he knows from bitter experience, she's perfectly capable of doing. Derand would rather die than lose Elissia - both of which may well happen anyway… This is a sequel to Princess Brat.
