His Shadow, My Chains

I was sold as a child, branded a servant, and spent years kneeling in the shadows of power. Now, the King—haunted, violent, and beautiful—keeps me closer than anyone, even as the Regent plots, blood runs in the halls, and the line between mercy and cruelty blurs. In a palace ruled by secrets and betrayals, every kindness comes with a threat, every touch with a price. But when the King’s past collides with mine, and our old promises resurface amid ruin, I must decide: will I survive by keeping my head down, or risk everything for the boy I once believed in? When loyalty is fatal and love forbidden, can hope survive in the house of wolves—or am I just the next pawn to be broken?