_saintrose

A woman from Hull was never meant to wear a crown. And yet, today, they would place one on her head.

Verona Falkenrath has spent her life among the wild forests and untamed lands of Hull, a province scorned by the noble courts of Praylor. To them, she and her people are nothing more than barbarians. Useful for their resources but unworthy of standing among kings. When she is forced into an arranged marriage with Prince Lucian Velthorne, Verona knows what is expected of her: be silent, be obedient, and be grateful.

But Verona has never known how to kneel.

Lucian never wanted a wife, especially not one from Hull. Cold, calculating, and bred for power, he sees their union as nothing more than a political necessity. She is a means to an end, a bridge to keep Hull under Praylor’s control. But from the moment Verona enters his court, she defies him at every turn. Fierce, untamed, and impossible to ignore.

Yet behind the whispers of their unlikely marriage, something far more dangerous is brewing. A neighboring country has begun sowing rebellion in Hull’s shadows, promising freedom from Praylor’s rule. When Verona uncovers the plot, she faces an impossible choice: stay loyal to her homeland, or betray those who would see it burn.

But Lucian has his own doubts. When the rebellion reaches its peak, can he truly trust the woman he once swore was his enemy?

Bound by duty, divided by war, and drawn together by something neither of them expected, Verona and Lucian must decide. Is their marriage just another political game, or the beginning of a love that could reshape kingdoms?

To Love a Crowned Enemy

The echoes of the feast still lingered in my mind as Lucian and I were escorted to our chambers. The halls were empty, save for the flickering torches casting long shadows along the stone walls. The weight of expectation pressed down on my shoulders with every step I took, the knowledge that the court would be waiting, watching for proof that this marriage had been sealed in every sense of the word.

But when the doors closed behind us, sealing us inside the dimly lit chamber, the silence between us was thick enough to suffocate.

Lucian exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair before turning to me. "They expect us to play the part," he murmured, his voice unreadable.

I met his gaze, steady and unflinching. "And do you intend to?"

A shadow of something crossed his face, something I couldn't quite name. "No."

Chapter 14