Silverthorn

Cassian Vale never belonged at Moonveil. The legendary academy trains the empire's most powerful magical bloodlines - heirs, nobles, and future rulers. Cassian is none of those things. He's a scholarship student from a forgotten harbor town carrying dangerous Shadow magic he barely understands. Then he meets Evander Silverthorn. Cold. Brilliant. Untouchable. The heir to one of the oldest bloodlines in the empire should hate Cassian on sight.
Instead, their magic reacts violently whenever they're near each other, awakening an ancient bond the world believed extinct. As buried kingdoms begin rising beneath the sea and forgotten monsters stir below Moonveil, Cassian and Evander uncover the truth behind a war history tried to erase. Bonded wielders were never villains. They were powerful enough to threaten empires. Now the bond between silver and shadow is returning - and the world will burn before it allows them to rise again.
Silverthorn is a sweeping MM fantasy romance filled with dark academia, forbidden magic, rivals-to-lovers tension, ancient kingdoms, political intrigue, emotional obsession, and a slow-burn bond that changes the fate of the world. Perfect for readers who love: dark fantasy romance emotionally intense MM relationships gothic magical academies epic worldbuilding hurt/comfort magical soul bonds morally gray kingdoms devastating slow burn