Lauren Kutney

Duty and desire collide in this highly anticipated second installment-a dangerous, pulse-pounding romantasy packed with searing tension, brutal twists, and relentless momentum. They've taken Zurdonia's queen. After surviving multiple assassination attempts, orphan-turned-queen Elena Markova is kidnapped-cut off from her kingdom and left to unravel who orchestrated the attacks and why. Trapped in enemy hands, Elena clings to one fragile truth: the man she was forced to leave behind is still alive.
and he will come for her. Alexei Novak burns for vengeance. They stole his queen and ignited a war he intends to finish. With more fury than answers, Alexei will tear through foreign lands and enemy strongholds to find Elena, destroy those responsible, and reclaim what is his-no matter the cost. But as a force capable of erasing the Markova bloodline rises, everything begins to fracture. Between fate's forged weapon, the assassin who took his queen, and the razor-thin line between duty and desire, Alexei must decide how much of himself he's willing to sacrifice to save her-before time runs out.