_saintrose

Verona Falkenrath was raised for war, not marriage. But when her kingdom is forced into an uneasy alliance with its greatest rival, she is wed to Prince Lucian Velthorne, a man as cold and calculated as the crown he will one day inherit.

What begins as a union of duty soon becomes a tangled web of shifting loyalties, political games, and dangerous truths. With war on the horizon and enemies moving in the shadows, Verona must decide who to trust, who to fight, and what she's willing to sacrifice to protect the people she loves.

In a court ruled by power and blood, survival is not promised. But one thing is certain. The woman they tried to use as a pawn might just rewrite the game.

To Love a Crowned Enemy

The morning after my victory in the fighting pit, the war camp was already stirring with movement. Word had spread fast, Verona Falkenrath had proven herself, and a council would be called.

My father wasted no time in preparing for our departure. If Hull was to decide its future, then we would meet its warlords in the heart of our lands.

Lucian and I stood at the edge of the camp, horses saddled, the crisp northern air biting at our skin. The towering pines loomed over us, their branches dusted with frost.

Aedric adjusted the straps of his gauntlet, watching me with a mixture of curiosity and something unreadable.

"So," he mused, "the prodigal daughter returns home with Praylor's prince at her side. The warlords will love that."

I shot him a sharp look. "They'll love it even more if you keep running your mouth."

Chapter 37