Maffkii
Captured by the northern prince after a failed rebellion, Elara expects execution, not conversation. But Kaelen isn't what the stories promised-he's quieter, stranger, and far more fractured than the crown he serves.
He claims he only needs her alive long enough to satisfy his father's orders, yet every hesitation cuts at the chains that keep them both obedient.
When the old runes beneath the throne ignite and the palace begins to break apart, they fall into the dark together. Down there, with no king to command them and no gods left listening, the truth between them will cost more than mercy ever could.