A Dance of Lies

by Brittney Arena

When Vasalie Moran’s life as a celebrated court dancer shatters under a false murder charge, she spends two brutal years in the dungeons before the king offers a cruel bargain: become his spy at the six‑week royal Gathering in exchange for her freedom. Reluctantly, Vasalie steps into a world of intrigue where every command drags her deeper into bloodshed and betrayal, and the protector she once trusted is revealed to be a monster. As the Gathering spirals into a deadly power play between King Illian and his ruthless brother, the feared King of the East, Vasalie must navigate shifting alliances while the dark truth of her own past resurfaces. With her soul on the line, she must decide whom to trust, what she’s willing to sacrifice, and whether she can rise from the shadows to claim her own destiny.