Crown of Deception

Two hundred years of lies. Two dangerous bloodlines. Too many secrets. One man in the middle. One crown to destroy all of it.

To the glittering court of Jade Oaks, Vernon Silverstone is nothing more than an average, dependable fae. As the trusted Head Guard to Princess Willow Ashbrooke, his only job is to stand in her shadow, keep her safe, and ignore the forbidden ache in his chest every time she looks his way.
But Vernon is far from average. He is a ghost. Two centuries ago, he was the Crown Prince of Ithacia-before he vanished, hiding the lethal dragon and vampire bloodlines coursing through his veins. By day, he plays the loyal soldier, but when no one notices, he commands an elite group that his family and Jade Oaks have searched years for, helping the citizens left behind.

For two hundred years, this delicate house of cards has held. But as the grand anniversary of the Jade Oaks monarchy approaches, the pressure reaches a terrifying boiling point. The fierce, unspoken tension between Vernon and Princess Willow threatens to shatter his professional resolve, even as Willow harbors secret longings of her own. Worse, Vernon discovers that his royal family has finally tracked him down.

Faced with the return of his past, the crushing weight of his double life takes a brutal toll on his worsening mental health. Vernon is slipping, losing control of the dark magic and secrets he has kept buried for centuries. As whispers turn to suspicion and dangerous eyes track his every move, Vernon must decide what to save: the underworld empire he built, the stolen crown that is rightfully his, or the princess who holds his fractured heart.