Whispers of Lord Theodore echo through the empire. Blacklisted by the emperor himself, he is deemed the empire's enemy despite his role as one of the strongest figures in establishing Critic-Ishire. Known for his aversion to socializing and drama, Theodore is about to become the husband of a Critic Arlian.
Lydia Statham, the marchioness's illegitimate daughter, lives in the shadow of her noble-born family. Envy, disregard, and disdain define her existence within the Statham house. Raised as the epitome of a Critic-Ishire lady—prim, proper, and sheltered—she harbors the wisdom of a witch and a thirst for forbidden knowledge. Her innate curiosity is stifled by the empire's constraints, but the union with Theodore, the most powerful man in Critic-Ishire, opens doors she once believed were forever closed.
Together, they transform from being singularly hated, feared, and disrespected to becoming the most reviled couple in Critic-Ishire.