After clearing his name, Rune Tellarus finds himself a guest in the palace.
The plans to harm himself and his Adepts have not been foiled completely, and to do so will require getting close to the most powerful man in the kingdom: King Celtis. At the king's request, Rune will soon begin his training as a Guardian Elite, and that means bonding to another Adept. And what better woman to bond with than the king's own daughter, Princess Nolana? His mission is soon put at risk when the palace is visited by an ambassador of Djani. This man wishes to make the princess his bride, something that Rune cannot allow to happen, not if he wants to protect his Adepts. But the palace is filled with secrets, and not everyone is who they appear to be, least of all Rune Tellarus, Guardian Prime.