Elske is a girl with no future—until her grandmother's sacrifice saves her from certain death. Beriel is an imperious princess—determined to claim the kingdom that is her birthright. Fate brings them together, both exiles, one servant to the other. To Beriel, the mistress, Elske offers steadfast loyalty and courage—hard to come by in her dangerous quest to regain the throne she has been denied by treachery. To Elske, the handmaiden, Beriel’s proud example provides a perhaps even more precious gift: the strength to find her true self.

She never knew she had a self. From the time she was a child, she was prepared to sacrifice her life when the Volkking summoned her. She never knew she had a heart, until she set out on a journey north to live among strangers. She never knew she had a choice, until she chose to trust the princess she was told to serve. And she never knew her own value, until she met the man who understood her strength, and who could taste the honey in her name: Elske. But the princess Beriel had always known who she was and what she was worth. She had always had a heart, and a stubborn one. She had always made her own choices, even when they were forced upon her. What Beriel did not have was the one thing she valued above all else, and that was the throne to her kingdom. With immense power and compassion, Cynthia Voigt, Newbery Medalist, depicts the parallel quests of two extraordinary young women. As Elske seeks to find her true self and Beriel battles to reclaim what is rightfully hers, both discover the value, and the price, of reaching the journey's end.