On Pyranon, the sons of high queens almost never survive. Prince Quadin Bellagrave is about to find out why. Twelve princesses compete to marry him. One is chosen. The rest plot to murder him before he becomes the asset of another realm. Alliances form and splinter in a savage chess game that doesn't end until the prince is either married or dead. One scheming princess snares him by locking a magical artifact onto his arm-a cuff with the power to rule his destiny. His struggle to free himself leads him on a quest for the source of anhel, the magical crystal the cuff is made of. Dark sorcerers use it to do unspeakable evil. In their hands, the enormous source stone could kill every Human on Pyranon. Quadin races to find it before they do. Worse, the artifact possesses an ancient intelligence, and its power over him is growing. Will Quadin learn to wield this deadly power, or will it command him?