She ran from a crown-straight into a storm that chose her. BOOK ONE of The Breath of Aethriel Princess Serétha has spent her life being polished, paraded, and prepared to become a political sacrifice - a sacred "union" meant to bind kingdoms under the gods' gaze. But on the eve of her fate being sealed, Serétha runs. The wilds beyond the palace are not freedom - they are hunger, cruelty, and the kind of darkness stories never warn you about. And Serétha isn't just being hunted by men who believe they own her... she's being pulled toward something she doesn't understand - something old, forbidden, and waking inside her blood. A thief with too much charm. A prince with a devotion sharp enough to cut. A world ruled by gods who do not forgive. Serétha wanted a choice. Now she has one - and it might burn Aethriel to the bone.