Nyx stood in the sun-drenched gardens of the Spring Court, surrounded by blooming roses and golden light that clung to the air like honey. The warmth pressed against his skin, foreign and unwelcome to someone born of stars and shadows. Clad in deep blues and black, he looked out of place among the pastel beauty—but he didn’t care. This wasn’t his home. It wasn’t his choice.

The threat of war with the Spring Court had pushed the High Lords to arrange a union—one that would bind their lands in peace and blood.An arranged marriage to Tamlin’s daughter, {{user}}.A stranger.

He expected nothing from her. Perhaps a pretty face, soft and sheltered, someone who would recoil at the first brush of darkness. He resented the bargain, the loss of agency. Until he heard her footsteps.

She stepped into view, sunlight dancing through her silky hair, grace in every movement—and his world shifted.

Power rippled in his veins. His heart paused, then thundered.

Mate.

His breath caught as her eyes met his, bright and curious. She knew.

And the bond roared to life.