She built her life on illusions. He despises deception.
Princess Julie has mastered the art of hiding in plain sight. Under the guise of a simple merchant, she traverses the MerChain trade routes, building alliances and avoiding her royal responsibilities. Freedom tastes sweeter than any crown.
Until she meets Alex.
A gifted runesmith with storm-gray eyes and unshakeable principles, Alex Kraft awakens something in Julie she never expected: the desire to be seen for who she truly is.
Revealing her identity could destroy everything she's built.
When the powerful Redwood trading company threatens to crush independent merchants like Alex, Julie must choose: maintain her deception to protect him from afar, or risk losing him forever by revealing her true identity.
As political tensions rise and hearts become entangled, Julie discovers that some illusions cut deeper than others.
With Redwood's influence growing and her father's patience waning, Julie must find a way to save both her newfound love and her freedom. In a world where truth is the highest currency, her web of deception may cost her everything.
Will Julie find the courage to shatter her own illusions before they destroy the one person who matters most? Or will her carefully crafted façade become the very thing that drives Alex away forever?
