Will a spoiled prince abandon everything he holds dear, for a forbidden love? A powerful but pampered lord, Chariz has only a passing interest in the new slave thrown at his feet, although he's both beautiful and helpless. But the rumours of Oriel’s powers flow quickly and shockingly around the court. Is he an empath, a Magician—or a clever trickster? Chariz selfishly enjoys Oriel’s company, but cynically dismisses the rumours as nonsense—until Oriel shows how deeply he both understands and empathises with Chariz’s personal, and closely-hidden pain. Oriel's mysterious and compassionate allure draws Chariz closer as they bond, and the initial lust develops into love. But Oriel's touch is a prize that others both crave and fear, putting him in mortal danger from the political machinations of Chariz’s ambitious and imperious mother. Chariz has only ever lived life on his own terms, indulging his own desires. But the time approaches when he must decide whether he’ll stand up for his principles, and pay the price of Oriel’s love. Especially when that price may demand a shocking sacrifice... from them both. This version in 2022 has been re-edited but the story remains the same as in the previous version. A shorter version called Bonded was also inckluded in an even earlier anthology I published with Eternal Press called Masquerade.