Flight of the cardinal

In a tragic event, the royal family of powerful mages, the Cardinals, were brought down. These rulers, who had governed for over five centuries with strict control, faced反抗 from humans. The conflict escalated into a war where non-human beings, known as Unnaturals, were targeted and left to fend for themselves in a shattered world. Ida, one of these Unnaturals, has endured the last ten years as a servant, constantly being traded between different households due to her unpaid debt. Despite the harsh circumstances, this hidden life provided her with a second chance. To her, it was better than none, and she was determined not to suffer the same fate as her kind. Assigned to serve Duke Kestrel, Ida encounters Lord Alexander, a captivating yet enigmatic figure. Xander, in his thirties, holds little interest in his duties as a noble, and despite his apparent aloofness, he remains unmarried. Some speculate that he's simply hard to please, but there's more to his story – he is a shifter searching for his missing mate in this transformed kingdom. Their paths cross unexpectedly, and Ida finds herself entangled in Xander's conflicting signals. She resists giving in to her emotions, fearing revealing her true nature. Xander, however, is relentless in his pursuit of his mate and will stop at nothing to claim her. As their intertwined destinies lead them on a perilous journey, they face various threats and adversaries seeking to tear them apart. In this tangled web of love and intrigue, they must decide if their connection can survive or if a darker force lies in wait.