Sable owes her future to a bargain she never signed. When the Hex Queen calls the debt due, Sable climbs the obsidian steps ready to refuse-and finds a ruler who asks, not takes.
Aurora governs a city of glass thorns and ruthless politics. She craves one place where rules are safe, where "stop" is sacred, and choice is a daily vow.
Their pull is wildfire under strict ritual: wrist to wrist, breath to breath, desire negotiated in whispers while enemies sharpen salt and lies.
As ward-stones falter and a charming rival stokes panic, Sable and Aurora must bind a living pact in public-one word to unmake it, one breath to save them all.
Court danger, tender aftercare, and an impossible promise: love chosen every morning, or a crown that refuses every chain.
For readers 18+
