Ember Beneath the Moon

My mother died keeping my secret.

Dualborn - fire and water in the same body.
A blessing she swore was beautiful.
A truth the Empire would kill me for.

So I hide who I am.
I bend only fire, unless I'm alone.
I keep my head down while political eyes watch every breath I take.

Survival is simple:
don't draw attention,
don't slip,
don't want anything you can't have.

But wanting is the one thing I'm terrible at controlling.

Especially when he enters my life - all ember eyes and impossible warmth, a man who should be my enemy, who should never look at me the way he does.
I can't let him see what I am.
I can't let anyone see.

Because if they do, I lose everything.

I just never expected love to be the most dangerous secret of all.