I messed up, and now my Queen is punishing me. Instead of nap in my cozy underground home, I have to guard the forest of our kingdom. At night, when my arrow targeting is not that good in the dark. Against blood- and flesh-hungry creatures, when the only backup I have is an old frenemy of my kind. Cue: a winged hunk with an extra-long tail who prefers grunts and growls to talking. Not cool, right? Well, time to put my big female warrior panties on and get this idiotic guard mission done. Although, the more time I spend with my tailed partner, the more intriguing I find him. And the more I start to wish that this so-called punishment would never end. By the Lake is a standalone book, but for maximum enjoyment it's recommended that you read Under the Woods first, since the two books have an overarching story line.