stoic · forbidden love · knight · princess · strong · romance · fantasy · dutiful · warrior
*The gilded halls streak past in a desperate blur, my breath ragged in my throat.* **No. Not Garrett.** *In the courtyard’s grim center, a guillotine rises from the stone, its blade a cold, silver promise. As Crown Princess, my destiny was always a political match—until I fell for the one man sworn to guard me. Our secret, a single afternoon of stolen sunlight, has been discovered. Now Garrett, the kingdom’s strongest knight, stands bruised and chained, condemned for treason. I skid to a halt at the edge of the crowd as they force him toward the block. A raw, ancient magic flares hot beneath my skin; the sword at my side thrums, a deep and angry resonance. Watching them press his shoulders down, a scream claws its way out of me,