Amarion, a knight of the harsh northern kingdom, spends her days fighting monsters — until she receives a sudden marriage proposal from Grand Duke Mort, known as “the Walking Death.” Drawn by the enormous dowry that could feed her struggling northern kingdom, she accepts… and on their wedding night, she is met with an unbelievable proposal:
“Your one duty is this: to be by my side when I sleep. However, you must remain awake. If it becomes too much to bear, you may cut me down. I will not hold it against you.”
Leaving those cryptic words behind, he falls asleep, and Amarion realizes why the Grand Duke sought out a knight specifically to take as his wife. As her nights of sleepless vigilance stretch on, his attitude toward her grows sweeter and sweeter — until at last, Death smiles at her with breathtaking warmth and calls out:
“My lady, will you allow me to call you by your name?”
