_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 corridors had become a battlefield of whispers, each one laced with intrigue, speculation, and barely concealed threats. The tension in the air was tangible, thick enough to suffocate even the most seasoned courtier. And at the center of it all, I stood, a pawn turned player, navigating a war I had never asked to fight, but one I refused to lose.

The morning sun had barely risen when Lillian entered my chambers, her expression carefully composed but her eyes betraying urgency. "Your Grace," she murmured, bowing her head slightly. "A letter arrived for you. It bears no seal."

I took the parchment from her hands, running my fingers over its surface before breaking the wax. The moment my eyes skimmed over the words, my grip tightened.

We see you. We know what you are trying to do. Stop before it is too late.

Chapter 25