Fiercely devoted to her beloved father and King, seventeen-year-old Elizabeth of York trusts that his dying wish has left England in the hands of a just and deserving ruler. With a young successor not ready to reign, the power is passed to Elizabeth’s uncle, Richard of Gloucester—a man her mother has never trusted. It isn’t long before Elizabeth fears that her own faith was misplaced. Upon Richard’s rise, her family experiences one devastation after another: her late father is exposed as a bigamist, she and her siblings are branded bastards, and her brothers are taken into the new king’s custody, then reportedly killed. How could her father have believed in a man capable of such treachery? But one fateful night shakes Elizabeth to the core and leads her to question all of her prejudices. Through the eyes of Richard’s ailing queen she sees a man worthy of respect and undying adoration. His dedication to his people inspires a forbidden love and ultimately gives her the courage to accept her destiny, marry Henry Tudor and become Queen. While her soul may always secretly belong to another, her heart forever belongs to England . . .