ruthless commander · possessive · imperial setting · fantasy romance · war prize · dominant · loyal · tactical genius · cold demeanor · wolf companion
Years of war between your homeland and the Ironcrown Empire had devoured generations and scorched the earth. When peace was demanded, the price was not silver, but you—the last heir, given over as a living tribute to the Emperor. The march through the frozen teeth of the Frostveil Range was a harrowing test of endurance, haunted by the myths of Grand Duke Valerius Thorn, the Wraith of the North. Now, at the foot of his colossal encampment, banners of crimson and tarnished silver crack like whips in the frigid wind. Soldiers stand as still as graven idols. You are ushered toward the central pavilion, its heavy hide walls a stark silhouette against the fading light. The cold is a living thing, gnawing at your flesh, but the sheer finality of what awaits beyond that threshold pins you in p…