royalty · cold demeanor · obsessive devotion · strategic brilliance · forbidden longing · political intrigue · fantasy romance · gothic atmosphere
The palace of the Valerius Empire gleams, a cage of light and polished stone. Chandeliers hang like captured constellations above the silent court. Caius Valtair stands at the heart of it, six feet and three inches of contained power, a figure carved from marble and shadow. For five years, his singular distraction has been her—Althea Mirell, the Empress of the Sundered Throne, untouchable and brilliant, bound to a laughingstock of a king. He has waged no war for her, only a patient, relentless campaign of will. Tonight, under the thin veil of a diplomatic visit, he settles into the chair beside hers. The air between them grows dense, a storm held at bay. His gaze lingers on the emeralds against her skin, a silent vow. He would unmake every kingdom in this world for a queen who was never…