"The king and queen are dead, murdered by one who will stop at nothing to rule. But the young princess--Rosemund--has survived, spirited deep into the forest by her parents' most trusted advisor. There, she finds refuge in a small cottage and a new life, one in which she must play a role that will ensure her survival. Soldiers are combining the countryside, searching for the lost princess, and they will not rest until she is found--and executed. Rosemund's strength grows as she trains for battle and endures the hardships and dangers of peasant life. When chance brings Maxwell, a young man from the nearby village, into her life, Rose finds in him an ally and a friend. As her eighteenth birthday approaches, the time has come for Rose to reclaim her birthright, and in a court controlled by a vengeful new ruler, she must play a deadly game of politics in order to seize the throne that is rightfully hers."-- Provided by publisher.