Satiana was born to hold a sword, to be first on the battlefield. Her mother had other plans.

Satiana Santern spent her whole life training to lead a battle team someday—like her father, like all four of her brothers. Instead, her mother signs her up for elemental magic: a future spent lobbing pretty orbs from the back line in a frilly dress, taking orders instead of giving them—nothing like the warrior's path she's dreamed of since she was old enough to swing a blade. Worse, she's staring down a marriage her mother's already arranged, to a boy she can't stand.

There's only one way out: a marriage of convenience to a total stranger.

Khennay Taisen is a clanless Vendayan with no ties, no obligations, and no obvious reason to help a girl he just met. But he offers his hand anyway—on paper only—and Satiana takes the deal without asking too many questions.

The Academy of Three Powers gives her everything she ever wanted: a sword in her hand, training that pushes her to her limits, a real shot at proving she belongs. It also hands her a rival who refuses to lose gracefully, a strange white weasel that keeps turning up wherever she goes, and a husband who's supposed to mean nothing at all.

Khen teases her, protects her, makes her laugh when she least expects it. But the closer Satiana gets to the truth of who he really is, the clearer one thing becomes: some secrets come at a price. And she's not the only one who'll have to pay it.

Book One of a duology — a story of swords, stolen trust, and a marriage that was never supposed to matter.