_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 second ambush struck like a shadow descending upon the world, swift and merciless. One moment, the river's surface was calm, reflecting the graying sky in fractured ribbons. The next, the air was alive with the snap of bowstrings and the hiss of arrows slicing through mist.

Lucian's command cut through the chaos. "Move! Get to higher ground!"

The guards scrambled into action, mounting their horses as another volley of arrows rained down. I ducked behind a boulder, cursing as an arrow lodged itself inches from where I had stood moments ago. My heart pounded against my ribs, but there was no time for fear. Only action.

Lucian wheeled his horse around, slashing at an attacker who had burst from the trees. Blood sprayed against the damp earth, and the man crumpled without a sound. Another rider charged him, but Lucian was faster, his blade a blur of silver and crimson.

Chapter 30