As the orphaned daughter of a traitor, Novalise grew up in hiding with an outlawed religious group hated by the crown. She dreams of aiding her people as a scientist and begs her overprotective brother for a chance to assist in his schemes against the government. All her hopes of making a difference implode when she's kidnapped and forced to compete against the Enhanced-a group of highly trained, biologically upgraded young women-for a position as the king's Protector.

Plagued by insomnia, King Zadien still is reeling from his father's untimely death. When his council suggests a competition as the way to choose his new bodyguard, he lacks the confidence to oppose the plan. Given the role he played in his father's murder, choosing the right Protector could mean relieving his guilt or repeating his worst mistakes. Can he trust the intriguing candidate who's nothing like the others?

After discovering a long-hidden connection between the Enhanced and her father, Novalise realizes winning the competition would give her people the strategic advantage they desperately need. But is that leverage worth compromising herself, body and soul?