Cecilia knows that she is not just another peasant girl; she is actually the true princess of Suala, in hiding until the evil forces that killed her parents are vanquished. A commoner named Desmia is on the throne as a decoy.

As she gets older, Cecilia finds it harder to study statesmanship and palace protocol secretly at night and then pretend that she has nothing on her mind other than scrubbing the gruel stains out of her best apron by day. Cecilia knows that it is time to take charge. Along with her best friend, Harper, she flees to the capital city of Suala, determined to reclaim her throne. But when Harper and Cecilia reach the famed Palace of Mirrors, they discover they are in more danger than they could have ever imagined.