As the fourth book of the series begins, Tehv, the son of the assassinated king, has survived a potentially fatal car crash and is determined more than ever to foil the political plans of his relatives and control his own life. For a start, he wants to get a real job and marry someone he likes. It won't be easy. He has few skills other than the martial arts and knowing which forks to use at a state dinner, and his Little Mother is suspected of poisoning girls she disapproves of.

His Royal cousins insist on helping Tehv in his pursuit of happiness, but their happy-go-lucky outlook is increasingly challenged by ominous events. The neighboring countries are at war and the country is in an economic meltdown as trade routes are disrupted. In this finale of the Sanctuary series, the cousins investigate the death of a young woman, cross international borders to rescue family members, keep their country from disintegrating, and figure out ways to live happily ever after.