Synopsis

Arden Icaros was never supposed to matter. From the poorest of five noble bloodlines, she prefers life on the family farm with dirt under her nails over the fine dresses at court. She just needs to get through one boring ceremony, inherit her earth magic, and return home. Instead, she’s handed a dagger and with it, an impossible choice. Now Arden is branded an omen of war, half the nobility wants her dead, and assassins are tracking her every move. Her only chance of survival lies with the most feared man in Antares. They call him Bishop. No one remembers the name he had before he dedicated his life to his order. Empowered to execute first and question later, Bishop is ruthless, terrifying, and utterly loyal to the kingdom that wants Arden dead. He should kill her. Instead, he offers her sanctuary. But the longer Arden stays under Bishop’s protection, the more dangerous he becomes. Because Bishop has secrets powerful enough to topple kingdoms…and a need for Arden that could ruin them both.

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This book will release on 9/22/26, preorder it today!

Excerpt

I grind my jaw, throwing all my strength behind my block. Our blades lock with a shriek of metal that makes my teeth clench, but I surge into him, shoulders burning as I try to muscle his sword aside.

Bishop regains his footing far too fucking easily. He raises his sword again, beckoning for me to attack with his free hand.

“Was that a question?” he asks, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

“I defended, didn’t I?” I toss an actual smirk at him.

“Looking for other ways to take me out?” His foot shifts back, and my heart leaps in anticipation of his next attack.

He could go high, come at me from over his shoulder. Or simply thrust. Or throw some other fuckery at me.

Make a choice.

Stars know that it will be the wrong one. After weeks, I’m no better at anticipating his next strike. But I grip the hilt tightly with both hands and swing the sword into first position.

He lifts a brow at my decision. “Interesting.”

Shit.

But he’s already coming at me, sword arcing over his head and slicing down in a diagonal aimed at the opposite side of my body. Adrenaline seizes me, and I drop my blade lower to counter, but as usual, he’s too fucking fast. The tip of my sword narrowly misses the block as his blade stops a fraction of an inch from my leather cuirass. I stare down at it, heart still pounding.

He steps away, bringing his sword to his side. “You left yourself open.”

But I can’t stop staring at how close his sword came. If this were a real fight, I would be dead.

Again.

I’ve yet to save myself even once.

He gestures for us to reset, and I shake it off. This is why we’re doing this.

“You didn’t answer my question,” I press, bouncing slightly on the balls of my feet, waiting for him to give me some clue at what he’s going to attempt next before I try to defend. “What if you explode?”

© copyright 2026 by Geneva Lee. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means. For information regarding subsidiary rights, please contact the Publisher.

About the Author

Geneva Lee is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of over thirty novels including the Birthright Cycle, the Royals Saga, and the Iconsverse, amongst other works. Her bestselling Royals Saga has sold nearly four million copies worldwide. A recovering academic, Geneva traded studying books for writing them and never looked back. She’s shamelessly addicted to recovering alpha males, headstrong heroines, and drop-your-jaw plot twists. People Magazine calls Geneva’s books “convincing with fluid writing that’s full of drama.” She currently lives in Kansas City with her high-school sweetheart, three children, two cats, and a rescued golden doodle named Honey.

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