Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian—royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.
Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.
When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning—and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.
When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.
Calista must choose: follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.
Why You Should Read This Book
Tropes
Trigger Warnings
Fall of Ruin and Wrath
“But as with most things that are beautiful on the outside, there is nothing but ruin and wrath on the inside.”
“Ingesting our blood would kill a mortal, but smooth … it over a wound? A scar? It will be healed. Sprinkle it on barren land and crops will flourish. Bury a hand … in freshly plowed soil, and crops will flourish there too, ones insusceptible … to drought or disease. Our teeth dropped into water can create coin.”
“You just close your eyes. Like you did last night, when your fingers were between your thighs and your mouth was on my cock. Just close your eyes and feel.”
“You feel you don’t know me well enough after I had my fingers inside you and your hand on my cock?”
“I want to feel you come on my fingers, na’laa.”
“I don’t have to find release to feel pleasure. The most exquisite kind of pleasure is derived from bestowing it upon another.”
“Did you know that the Hyhborn are known for climaxes that can last for hours—actual hours?”
“After all, one cannot ask others to fight for their homes and lives if one is not willing to fight oneself.”
“It’s actually not complicated. The Princess believes that it is time for a queen instead of a king to rule.”
“I can touch a caelestia for a little while before I start to know things, but I’ve never touched a Hyhborn before, and whenever I’m asked something that deals with them, I sense nothing. So, I’m not sure.”
“You look entirely too serious for someone in the midst of an orgy.”
“I’d hate to have to end you when I’ve been quite … enthralled by you.”
“But if he thinks that I’m just going to submit and make this easy for him? He has another thing coming.”
“Don’t worry, my dear. We will keep you safe from the Prince of Vytrus.”
“I am not a possession. I am owned by no one.”
“You do know that Hyhborn cannot tell a lie.”
“Those things … and the lunea. That alone weakens us—sickens us. When any … lunea blade is left in us or its wound goes untreated, it turns into a toxin, breaking down our tissues.… Another of my kind would need far more than water and time to heal.”
“At one time, I welcomed soft and shapely women entering my chambers, expected or not, but that was before more than one had come into possession of a lunea blade and entered my chambers with the intentions of drawing my blood and enriching themselves.”
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