Valeria Costacurta, a 16-year old girl from a formerly prestigious noble family, dreams of being able to someday rebuild her house’s noble status with her own strength. One day, she is chosen to become a Dominas, those that possess the tattooed crest that imbue one with the ability to wield magic. The odds of one bearing such a crest being only one in ten, Valeria accepts, the first step to her achieving her dream now paved right before her. ... more>>

Being maidens, Dominas are traditionally paired with other females (called Hiera Glaphicos) to protect their purity. But for Valeria her Hiera Glaphicos is a young man known as Dimitar Richternach. Dimitar’s aunt, Orvieto Richternach, assures Valeria that he will never lay a hand on her – because Dimitar only has eyes for older women. To Valeria he is foul-mouthed, brash and tactless. Dimitar sees her as haughty, overbearing, and completely naive.

Their adventures begin with their first assignment, a secret mission to investigate a supposed uprising in a nearby city. Not everything goes according to plan, however, and the scouting mission that was supposed to have been simple at the start quickly turns sour. <<less