Throughout the kingdom of Kaska and into the countries beyond, they gossip about the scandalous Fox, the beautiful commoner who went from singing in taverns to being court musician and the king's lover. But the king has grown distant and now seeks a proper consort, leaving Fox shut out of the king's bedroom and uncertain of his place at court. His worries are compounded by the crowded accommodations during the King's Tournament, as even nobles fight for space within the castle. Fox might have nowhere to go. Then legendary knight Byr Conall, the famed Dragonslayer, steps in to offer Fox a place to stay among the knights competing in the tournament. Conall is the one person at court not intimidated by the king, and therefore the one person Fox has avoided so as not to incur the king's wrath. At least, that's one reason. The other is that something about the thoughtful, crafty mountain of a man makes Fox feel less like the glamorous, clever figure known far and wide as the King's Fox and more like the jittery, uncertain youth Fox was when he first arrived at court. Conall almost makes Fox believe in the romantic songs he sings to entertain others. But nobles do not marry commoners, and even if they did, Fox can't believe that an actual hero like Conall would choose a jumped-up street musician only lately out of the king's bed. It might take winning a tournament, defying the king, and shocking the court, but Conall is out to convince Fox that Fox doesn't just deserve his heart, but also a home.
