The eldest son of impoverished nobility, Maksim learns young that he'll be married off to secure his family's future. Trapped in an engagement he doesn't want to a man he's never met, he frequently runs away, but he never gets far enough to escape his fate, always being dragged back home.

Maksim is pleasantly surprised when his husband, Piotyr, turns out to be sweet and generous. He never dared dream of a husband he might fall in love with. But as enchanting as Piotyr is, there's a secret haunting Maksim's new home of Breyvan-one that could tear his heart to pieces.