<p>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.</p>