Unlike everyone around her, Princess Azalea has never been especially troubled by the curse placed on her at her christening. But, as her sixteenth birthday approaches, even Ben—usually her only sanctuary from her well-meaning protectors—starts to worry. Not to mention he begins acting strangely about the betrothal that's bound them since childhood. Being forced to marry her best friend has always seemed like a far bigger problem than a mere curse—until the unthinkable happens.

Prince Bentleigh has been in a quandary for some time. How do you go about winning a girl who's already yours, whether she wants to be or not? Any hope of finding an answer withers the moment Azalea pricks her finger and is ripped from him. The magic powering her enchanted sleep is so strong, the whole kingdom succumbs during the hours of darkness. And nothing else matters but finding a way to wake her up.

Except Azalea isn't asleep. At least, not once the sun sets. And with the rest of the kingdom in an unnatural slumber, there's no one but her to fight the deadly magic creeping into the heart of her kingdom. As the curse becomes more aggressive, Azalea and Bentleigh grow increasingly desperate—enough to risk war with the dragons, their own lives . . . even their hearts.