Book excerpt: Harlequin meets Game of Thrones in this steamy, high-stakes fantasy romance. A MARRIAGE TREATY SEEMS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR THE SAFETY OF HER PEOPLE... BUT SHE'S IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE. CAN SHE SACRIFICE THE ONLY THING SHE'S EVER WANTED? Zenobia, newly appointed Chief Lady of Tenoreth, is on a mission to save her people who have just survived a crippling natural disaster only to be attacked by rogue soldiers from a neighbouring nation. She travels for weeks with her companions--her trusted lieutenant and two giant magical cats--to the capital only to discover the King is an old friend and his closest advisor is her childhood crush. Negotiating a peace treaty is simp... all she needs do to keep her people safe is marry one of the King's noblemen. NOTHING HAS EVER MATTERED TO HIM MORE THAN THE KING'S SAFETY... UNTIL NOW. High Commander Andrew barely recognizes the wild little girl he once knew--she's turned into a powerful woman who stirs an irresistible yearning. There are a hundred reasons he can't have her. She's promised to marry a nobleman to secure an alliance between their nations, and Andrew, born a peasant and a bastard, will never be considered good enough. It doesn't matter anyway, because he's sworn a vow of celibacy in service of his best friend, and King. A DANGEROUS AFFAIR... When Andrew is tasked with Zenobia's safety during her stay, assassins, sacred religious practices, and impending civil war force them into each other's arms. Will his devotion to his code of ethics and her determination to save her people from ruin be enough for them to deny an attraction that would have disastrous and possibly fatal consequences? Reader Warning: This novel features plenty of steam and some brief gore/violence. Dark Themes throughout, but there is a HEA.