𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓹𝓮𝓷𝓽'𝓼 𝓑𝓪𝓻𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷: 𝓐 𝓑𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓲𝓪 𝓒𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓲𝓬𝓵𝓮

In the dangerous heart of Renaissance Italy, where power is currency and betrayal is a kiss, seventeen-year-old Lucrezia Borgia is a pawn in her father, Pope Alexander VI's, ruthless game of political dominance. Torn from a shadowy past and forced into a strategic marriage with the powerful Duke of Nemours in France, Lucrezia sets out on a perilous journey north, carrying not only a substantial dowry but also the weight of her family's dark secrets and the unspoken presence of her young, illegitimate child.

As she navigates the unfamiliar and potentially hostile French court, Lucrezia must learn to use her beauty and intelligence as weapons, distinguishing between allies and enemies in a world where whispers can be deadly as steel. Her arranged marriage to the enigmatic Duke, a man with hidden depths and his own guarded ambitions, turns into a dangerous dance of power, desire, and suspicion. Caught between the demands of her formidable family and the allure of a new, uncertain future, Lucrezia discovers a strength she never knew she possessed: a Borgia serpent coiled and ready to strike.

However, the road to France is fraught with hidden dangers. When a brutal attack shatters the illusion of a safe passage, Lucrezia realises that unseen forces are at work, endangering not only her life but also the delicate balance of alliances her father so desperately desires. In a world that values loyalty, Lucrezia must embrace her Borgia heritage while navigating treacherous courts, forbidden desires, and the ever-present threat of those who seek to destroy her and her family. The Serpent's Bargain tells a dark and compelling story about ambition, survival, and the intoxicating, dangerous allure of power in a world where even a duchess must fight for power.