KayElle

Lady Seraphina Evernight never imagined her wedding day would feel like a death sentence. Forced to marry the ruthless Duke Adrian Valemont, the very man suspected of destroying her family, she vows to uncover the truth and make him pay. But the deeper she digs into Adrian’s past, the more she realizes that her father’s downfall was no simple betrayal—secrets buried in blood and deceit may shatter everything she thought she knew.

Yet Adrian is not the monster she expected. Behind his cold eyes lies a man battling demons of his own, and the more she seeks revenge, the more she finds herself tangled in a web of court intrigue, deadly whispers, and a desire she never anticipated.

In a marriage built on vengeance, can love ever take root? Or will their vows be written in thorns and ruin?

VOW OF THORNS

Seraphina's pulse quickened as Adrian's accusation hung heavy between them. Conspiring? The word stung, not because it was true, but because it highlighted the chasm of mistrust that separated them.

"I do not conspire against you," she said, her voice level despite the turmoil within her. "But I will not be kept blind, either."

Adrian's silver eyes, usually a tempest of unreadable emotions, held a flicker of something akin to curiosity. "And what is it you believe you see?"

"That your past is catching up to you," she answered, her gaze unwavering. "And I am caught in its wake."

His jaw tensed, but he did not deny it. Instead, he reached past her and closed the door with a deliberate click, the sound echoing in the sudden silence of the room. Seraphina's breath hitched, but she held her ground. She would not cower, not before him, not before anyone.

Adrian leaned in, his voice a low, dangerous whisper against her ear. "You are playing with forces you do not understand, Seraphina."

She did not flinch. "Then enlighten me."

For a moment, he was silent. Then, with a swift, unexpected movement, he reached into his coat and withdrew a folded letter, its edges worn and creased. He held it out to her, his gaze unreadable.

"This arrived today," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

Seraphina hesitated, her fingers trembling slightly as she took the letter from him. As she unfolded the parchment, her eyes scanned the elegant script, the words a chilling warning that sent a shiver down her spine.

Beware the one closest to you.

She looked up at Adrian, her mind reeling. Who had sent this letter? And what did it mean?

Adrian's gaze was steady, his expression unreadable. "It seems," he said, his voice laced with a hint of amusement, "that you are not the only one with questions."

Seraphina's grip tightened on the letter, her knuckles turning white. "Who sent this?" she demanded, her voice barely a whisper.

"That is what I intend to find out," Adrian murmured, his eyes fixed on hers. "And I would rather not find my wife tangled in another man's whispers when I do."

Seraphina's chin lifted, her defiance flaring. "And I would rather not be treated as a pawn in whatever game you are playing, Your Grace."

His eyes darkened at the formal title, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face before he masked it once more. "You assume this is a game," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Seraphina's breath hitched. "Isn't it?" she challenged, her voice barely audible.

Adrian stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "No, Seraphina," he corrected, his voice a dangerous whisper. "It is war."

The weight of his words settled upon her, a chilling reminder of the danger that surrounded them. She had entered this marriage believing it was merely a game of politics, a battle of wits and wills. But now, she was beginning to see that it was something far more perilous.

She was standing on the precipice of a war, a war that threatened to consume everything in its path. And she was no longer sure who she could trust.

Chapter 13: A Test of Loyalty