They threw me in a cage like I was nothing. But I’m not the one they should fear. She is.
She moves like a ghost, speaks like a soldier, and touches me like she forgets I’m a monster. Her hands keep me alive. Her mouth ruins me.
Zaria is a healer. A slave. A strategist. And the only reason I haven’t ripped this hell apart.
They chain me. Beat me. Plan to sell me to a sorcerer for parts. But then she comes back. Night after night. And my instincts go feral.
Because she’s mine. Not a possession. Not a prisoner. My queen.
I was caged like a beast. But I’m breaking free like a king.
She planned the fire. I supplied the claws.
Read on for fated mates, brutal cages, a healer who becomes a war general, and a manticore prince who refuses to break for anyone but her. HEA Guaranteed!
'I have spent my entire life surrounded by people who want something from me— power, influence, a connection to my family. Their smiles are as calculated as my own. But this woman, this sharp-tongued slave-healer, she wants nothing. She is a locked room in a world of open doors, and I find, to my own surprise, that I am desperate to find the key.'
I really enjoyed this book. Good world building and wonderful characters. I loved both Caspian and Zaria. Both are prisoners to cruelty, yet I liked the parallels between them- not just their lack of freedom, but what they expect from people from their past interactions. It helps them to see the difference in each other from the users from their pasts. I liked the way they connected. And that they were both strong-willed and unbroken. 4 stars
I love when a character falls for her immediately, drawn to her with no explanation. The fact that she’s nursing him, trying to protect him as much as she can while in denial of her growing feelings, is a plus. Throw in the steam and character development and you’ll be sucked into this world too.