In love's shadow, death awaits.

Milo Hale never asked to be a prince. Solitude suits him far better than a crown, yet as the only stardust soul in his kingdom—a being both blessed by the gods and feared by nature—he carries a burden heavier than any throne. With a kingdom wary of his unnatural blood and a family strained by their mortal lineage, Milo's life is a delicate balance... until the only solution to save them all is a marriage into the formidable Baudelaire clan.

Princess Frances Baudelaire is a vampire with one goal: freedom. Immersed in mystery novels and forensic journals after her father's death, she craves pleasure, power, and autonomy—and refuses to let an unwanted engagement chain her down.

Two months before the wedding, an assassin appears in Milo's room, forcing both families to flee to Wisteria Manor, a haunted seaside estate where rooms vanish and ghosts whisper secrets. Its haunted walls seem safe enough until a new killer appears, harvesting hearts in search of a book capable of destroying the realm.

Amid the looming threat, forbidden romances ignite—but not where anyone expects. Milo's heart is claimed by Sage, the enigmatic new professor at Wisteria Manor, while Frances battles a dangerous attraction to Jeremy Nightingale, Milo's best friend and a witch with a bitter history toward vampires. Hate, desire, and secrets collide as the royals must navigate love, betrayal, and a murderer's game before the fate of their world and hearts is sealed.