To protect what little family she has left, Lady Catrin Fitzalan switches places with her cousin when King Edward orders the pious girl to wed his royal champion, a vicious knight called the King's Raven. Rumors abound that this savage is responsible for the deaths of Lady Catrin's father and brother. How can she allow her sweet cousin to wed a murderer?Bran ap Madog, bastard son of a Welsh prince, has devoted his life to serving the English king. His badge is the raven, a creature that feeds off rotting spoils, just as Bran feeds off the spoils of war. Now he wants a reward for his service: a wealthy wife and the land and power she can bring him.But there's another side to the rapacious black birds Bran has chosen for his badge. Social and family-oriented, ravens mate for life. Which gives them something Bran never had-a family, a sense of belonging, and a rightful place in the world. Bran has fought for everything he's ever had. But his last battle, with his new wife, may cost him the one thing he isn't prepared to lose: his heart.