Joy Harlege

Everyone knows the King is a monster. When twenty-year-old Alira Alcott is chosen as the century's sacrifice, she expects to die beyond the Veil like every maiden before her. Instead, she finds a ruined kingdom shrouded in shadows and a king far different from the monster described in stories. Soren Nightfall is feared across the realm, blamed for centuries of death and darkness that is scattered across the kingdom.
Yet beneath the cold mask lies a man carrying the burden of a secret that could destroy everything Alira has ever known. With war approaching and a deadly ritual drawing near, Alira must decide whether to trust the king everyone fears or watch the world fall into darkness.