Thorns of the midnight rose

In the opulent kingdom of Vynthera, Lady Seraphine Caldris is a woman of unmatched beauty and cunning intellect. Born into a noble family, she is admired for her grace but feared for her sharp tongue and even sharper wit. Beneath her polished exterior, however, lies a secret: Seraphine is the true heir to the throne, a truth hidden after her parents were betrayed and murdered by the scheming Duke Alaric-the man she was once betrothed to.

The betrayal shattered Seraphine's heart, but it did not break her. Masking her fury behind an elegant facade, she weaves her way through Vynthera's glittering court, hiding her pain behind a confident and dominant demeanor. Her sharp arrogance and alluring presence make her both irresistible and intimidating. She plays the long game, quietly building alliances with those disillusioned by the Duke's tyrannical rule.

When a mysterious assassin, Cassian, attempts to take her life under Alaric's orders, Seraphine does the unexpected-she spares him. Intrigued by her courage and ambition, Cassian offers his deadly skills in exchange for her protection and a chance at revenge of his own. Their partnership is fraught with tension; Cassian is as infuriatingly cocky as he is skilled, and the sparks between them threaten to ignite something Seraphine cannot afford to feel.

As Seraphine edges closer to her revenge, she discovers that the Duke's betrayal runs deeper than she ever imagined. Alaric has uncovered the Midnight Rose, a cursed artifact said to grant immortality at the cost of its wielder's soul. If he succeeds in unlocking its power, Seraphine's plans-and the kingdom-will be lost.

Caught in a web of deceit, mystery, and forbidden desires, Seraphine must risk everything to expose Alaric and reclaim her throne. But as secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, she begins to question who she can trust-including Cassian, whose own past may hold the key to the Duke's downfall or her ultimate destruction.