In a world shaped by a Victorian order of power, twelve noble Houses rule—each descended from ancient bloodlines blessed with magic. For centuries, their authority has remained unchallenged… except by one House, forever marked by disgrace.It is said that long ago, they committed the unforgivable: they stole magic from another bloodline.As punishment, the remaining eleven Houses devised the Games—a brutal spectacle designed to humble and torment the accused lineage. Generation after generation, their descendants are forced to compete, their blood carefully controlled and interwoven to ensure the curse never fades. To the rest of the realm, they are not nobles, but entertainment.But history is not always truth.The stolen magic was never stolen. It was given—bestowed by the gods upon one House in abundance, while another was left with nothing. What began as divine imbalance turned into something far more human: jealousy, betrayal, and a lie powerful enough to reshape an entire legacy.For years, the Games have continued unquestioned… until the last victor refuses to remain a pawn.She escapes.She vanishes into the world beyond the reach of the eleven Houses, taking on a new identity and marrying into another noble line. For the first time in centuries, the cursed bloodline slips through the cracks of its own fate.But freedom is not so easily won.Because her child—born of two Houses, heir to one and cursed by another—cannot escape what runs in their veins.And when they come of age, the Games will call them home.