Spoilers I suck at summaries fair warning
It's just mind games from here. Michele doesn't want intimacy with Ian bc he's uncomfortable with Ian being deceitful and he wants answers. It's revealed Ian had a terrible life before becoming a noble. Ian was a bastard child with no family after his mama killed herself. He had to do disgusting things to survive. Eventually, he finds his noble Northern father and the parents die not too long after that... Ian's sister (I think Katya was her name?) thinks Ian killed their parents and resents Ian.
Later, Michele wants to give Ian his third gift of something blue and Katya tells him to go to the mountains to get blue salt rock. Michele goes with the mountain keeper. The mountain keeper ends up being a mercenary Katya hired to kill Ian, but gave orders to leave Michele alive.
Ian ends up following the trail with his dogs. The mercenary kills the dogs and they end up fighting while Michele is unconscious from drinking laced wine. Then Michele wakes up and not wanting to his wife to be killed in front of him, he shoots the mercenary with Ian's gun.
Ian is badly injured and losing blood. Michele drags him to some shack bc it's snowing heavily. Ian thinks he might die and wants to hold Michele one last time. They make love. The servants find them blah blah blah
Ian punishes Katya by sending her to get married to a old pirate king with a bunch of wives, but tells her the king has a niece who wants to become the next pirate king and wants Katya... and I'm just like oooh yuri?
Ian realizes he loves Michele and they get married the end tho Ian isn't entirely honest with Michele even at the end. He thinks if Michele knew the whole truth, he would kill himself like Ian's mother did.
Sorry it's a lot if you have any questions let me know
Holy plot twist, Batman
Is there anyone kind enough to summarize and spoil the novel for me, please? I don't think you can wait any longer, I can't stand the uncertainty.