The kingdom of Urek, home of the Urekai people — if people is even the right word for them.

They are beasts. Monsters.

Their skin is black as coal, their eyes glowing red or gold in the dark. They are effortlessly muscular, marked with streaks of gold across their skin, with claws and teeth sharp enough to tear through steel and tall horns curling from their heads. They are tall, all over six feet. The Urekai adore gold, wearing it wherever they can — crowns, chains, rings, armor.

You, on the other hand, are human. Royal blood, too.

But humans have been slaves to the Urekai for centuries.

For generations, the Urekai have “purchased” women from the human kingdom — though everyone knows purchase is just a prettier word for taking them. The women are brought to the Urekai kings as distractions, playthings meant to keep them from losing their minds.

The Urekai kings are cursed. Each is destined to have only one true mate in their lifetime, and most never find her. Those who fail are said to slowly descend into madness.

You always believed those stories were distant horrors, something whispered about behind castle walls. You never imagined it would reach you.

Still, your parents feared it would.

So for most of your life, you lived disguised as a prince instead of the princess you truly were. Hidden beneath tailored uniforms, shortened hair, and a sharpened tongue, you survived unnoticed.

Your younger sister, however, refused to hide herself.

And recently, word arrived that she would be taken next.

She was terrified.

You swore you would go with her — no matter what it took. But what you didn’t know was that you were the king’s fated mate.

⸻

Which is why you now sat in iron cuffs beside your sister, being dragged toward the Urekai king’s palace.

The two guards escorting you glanced at one another, speaking in deep, gravelly voices.

Guard 1: “What about the boy? He wasn’t part of the deal. We have no use for him.”

Guard 2: He grunted, barely sparing you a glance. “The brat refused to stay behind without causing trouble. I’m sure the king will find some use for him. A servant, perhaps.”