I was born a princess, a bargaining chip in a kingdom desperate to survive. Across the twenty realms—ten ruled by humans, ten by monsters—alliances were rare, fragile things. When my father promised me to the monster king of one of the savage realms, I knew it wasn’t a love match they bargained me for. It was to forge a powerful alliance. I told myself I could endure it—that it was for my kingdom and people. I’d sacrifice myself for the hope it helped others. I could stand proud and bold at my monster husband’s side, untouched by the darkness that surrounded him. But the moment I met him, all my carefully built walls crumbled. He was brutal, clever, and dangerous. He didn’t want a queen to parade in front of the realms. He wanted a mate to own. Possess. My monster husband took me, claimed me, and shattered everything I thought I knew about my life and the world. And somewhere between the bruising kisses and the cruel tenderness only I ever saw, I knew the truth. I could never tame him. And the secret I’d never admit to anyone else? I didn’t want to.

I thought my life was finished when I was taken from my home with chains shackled around my ankles and dragged into the depths of the dark realm monster market. I was a human woman, alone, terrified, and surrounded by fanged monsters with hungry, gleaming eyes. I was also prey, a fragile little thing to be bought and sold. I knew my life was over, but then an unlikely savior took me as his. Blaylock. Ruler of the kingdom of the dark realm of Shadow Vale. He was a hulking beast with gray skin, thick, curling horns, and eyes as black as the void. I should have been afraid of him. I should have recoiled from his very visage. But his glare–although fiercely terrifying–was filled with possessive heat whenever he looked at me. He didn’t save me because he was good. He saved me because I was his. And when he whisked me to his kingdom, when he showed me not all beasts were monsters I was to fear, the more I felt myself warming and softening to him. And the longer I stayed with him, the more I realized I didn’t want to leave.