On her wedding day, common-born healer Mara is abandoned by the prince she loves and forced to become the Death Bride of Ronan, the supposedly dead King of Vargan. Buried alive beside him, she discovers the impossible—the dead king is still alive. Betrayed by their own kingdoms, Mara and Ronan rise from the grave as allies. Through love, conspiracy, and a brutal fight for power, a rejected bride begins her journey to become Empress.