1515 A.D. - The Lady Micheline le Bec was pledged in marriage to Edmund de Cleveley, Baron Bowland, in payment for her father's gambling debt. When de Cleveley's big Irish captain, Sir Kirk Connaught, arrives to escort Micheline to her marriage, Micheline is apprehensive but submissive. In fact, she's not the real problem; the real issue is her sister, the Lady Mara. Dark-haired and beautiful, she is fiery and reckless. When Kirk should be focused on his liege's bride, he finds himself talking a foolish young woman off the window ledge. Mara comes down, but not before a struggle nearly costs both her and Kirk their lives. So begins their fire and ice association. Upon arriving at de Cleveley's seat, Anchorsholme Castle, Mara and Micheline are informed by the servants that the fortress has another name, a far more sinister name - The Darkland. The House of the Death. Young women that have visited the castle have never been seen again. All of the deaths have one thing in common - Kirk Connaught. When Mara finds out, she tries to flee in fear, but Kirk catches her and explains the rumors behind the disappearances. They are not as Mara has suspected. She discovers that Kirk is not the perpetrator; he is the victim as much as the young women were. As Mara and Kirk fall more deeply in love, dark forces are working against them. There is an uprising in Ireland on de Cleveley lands and Kirk is called away to quell it. Meanwhile, Edmund de Cleveley secretly betroths Mara to a local baron in order to remove her from Anchorsholme and away from Kirk. Mara is scheduled to marry the baron even as Kirk fights his own people in Ireland, unaware of his beloved Mara's predicament. But he accidentally discovers the truth and Kirk races back to England to prevent the marriage even as a mad series of event happen at The Darkland that will change all of their lives forever. It's an exciting ride to the finish as good triumphs over evil.