Set against the backdrop of the Ottoman conquest of Europe, this historical novel follows Ilona, a defiant young noblewoman, whose childhood bond with Vlad Dracula is reignited under harrowing circumstances. Years after their first meeting, Vlad returns not as the man she remembers, but as a hardened warlord. As Ilona risks everything to save him from both captivity and himself, she must confront the perils of loyalty, love, and the shadows of a changing world.