Lord of the Shadows (The Great Marcher Lords of de Lara)

1215 A.D.: The reign of King John means dark days for all of England. Not one man, woman or child lived without fear. Magnifying this fear is the man they call The Lord of the Shadows - a terrifying figure who sits at the right hand of the King, manipulating the royal moves like a puppet master. The Lord of the Shadows has been known to tear men apart with his bare hands and can, with a snap of his fingers, alter the future of anyone he chooses. The nobility is terrified of him, and for good reason. That is - the nobility that know of his existence. Lady Sheridan St. James has been drawn into the political arena by her father - having no sons, he bequeaths his power and knowledge to his eldest daughter, a stunningly beautiful and bright creature. Upon his death, Sheridan finds herself at the head of the mighty House of St. James, a major leader in the rebellion against the crown. During her first visit to London she becomes acquainted with a massive knight who has, in kindness, saved her sister's life. She has no idea Sir Sean de Lara is the man known as The Lord of the Shadows, but even when she is told of his horrible deeds she still cannot not believe it. Sheridan and Sean draw close despite the influence of the horrendous affairs of state sweeping London. All she knows is that he is handsome and kind, and although Sean is well aware of the lady's status, it makes no difference that she is, in perception, his enemy. To Sean, Sheridan is quickly becoming his reason for living - but out of necessity his responsibilities to the king become stronger than his love for Sheridan and he is forced to perform his duties or risk death to them both. Still, Sean swears to her that his days as the Shadow Lord are numbered even as rival factions cruelly separated them. It soon becomes a test of Sean and Sheridan's love to find each other again in a world which is determined to keep them apart.