THE KING DEMANDS TOTAL SURRENDER. Yara Bailey was a ghost in the halls of Blackcrag. She was a nameless scullery maid living in the shadows. One mistake changed her fate forever. A spilled platter brought her to her knees before the Barbarian King. Merle Scott did not want an apology. He wanted a Queen. He claimed her before the entire clan. He chose the lowliest servant to carry his royal bloodline. The Highlands are cold but Merle's touch is fire. He is a man of iron and scars. He does not ask for obedience. He commands it. Yara trembles under his heavy gaze. She fears his rugged resolve and the stern discipline of his bedchamber. Her body betrays her at every turn. Every lesson he teaches brings her closer to the edge. He intends to mold her into the perfect consort. He will break her spirit until only devotion remains. Enemies circle the stronghold. Idris Smith waits for a moment of weakness. He mocks the King for his choice. He wants to tear Blackcrag apart. Merle will not let his prize go. He will mark her. He will own her. He will spill blood to keep her. Yara is no longer a servant. She is the King's obsession. She will learn that the only way to survive the King is to let him conquer her completely.