in medieval brittany, for the nobility, life is governed by an incredibly rigid chivalric code. duty, valor, and piety aren't just ideas-they dictate a person's every move. in a world of spectacular tournaments and bloody crusades, a man's worth is measured by his prowess of arms on the battlefield, and a woman's by her fulfillment of becoming a wife and mother.what happens, though, when the role that society picks out for someone just feels completely and totally wrong? in the small barony of rieux, a brother and sister find themselves trapped by the very expectations meant to define them. for these two, that code of honor is not a guide; it's a cage. the twins are desperate for the life the other is forced to live. roland has the soul of a musician, but he is being shoved into a suit of armor. meanwhile, his sister, rowen, who is a brilliant, natural-born fighter is stuck doing needlepoint. for rowen, chivalry is more than a code of honor and fraternal love. chivalry is being accepted for who she really is; it is freedom.what pushes rowen over the edge is her love for the baron's daughter, lady amarys. a tournament of arms will decide the barony's champion and heir by granting amarys's hand in marriage to the victor. rowen cannot bear to lose amarys. she realizes just how much she is willing to risk to keep her lady near. her plan is radical and dangerous. since roland is a poet and not a killer, and rowen is a warrior trapped in the body of a woman, they decide to switch. rowen will put on roland's armor and fight in his place in the tournament. when she wins, he will wed amarys and shield their love with his privilege as a lord. this is a massive risk. if they are found out, it could disgrace their family or get them killed. fortune's ever-turning wheel trembles as the tournament brings the reality of amarys's marriage to roland closer than ever. can rowen bear to watch her brother marry the woman she loves? what will happen when she tells amarys the truth?