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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 days leading up to our departure were filled with preparation, strategy meetings, and endless whispers trailing in my wake. The court watched me more closely than ever, their judgment sharpening into something more dangerous than mere curiosity. Every glance held speculation, every hushed conversation was laced with my name. Some waited for me to falter, others hoped for it.

Lucian had been distant since my audience with the King. Not cold, not unkind, but withdrawn. As if something unspoken loomed between us, waiting to snap like a taut wire. There were moments when I caught his gaze across the hall or during council meetings, but he never lingered. Never spoke more than necessary.

And yet, I felt his presence like a shadow at my back. Watching. Waiting.

Chapter 27