In a land ravaged by war and magic, Lyra finds herself in the midst of danger when a mage hexes her with a monstrous curse and leaves her with clear instructions on how to break it:

Kill the dragon mage and eat his heart.

The catch? He also has to be in love with her when she kills him.

Problem is, Alistair is well known by the people as a monster, a mage afflicted with dragon sickness and a strong craving for human hearts. Infiltrating the castle (and his heart) will be no easy feat, but it's one Lyra is determined to conquer. The fate of her happiness depends on it.

Everything Lyra is taught to believe is put to the test when Lyra manages to find her way into Alistair's castle and she discovers Alistair is not the mage her people paint him to be. Instead, he's harboring dark secrets that could actually change the course of the war. Suddenly, her task becomes more complicated.

Lyra is left asking:

Who are the true villains of this story?