
Princess Madelynn Windstrong of Fall is ordered to marry Lucien Thorne, the infamous Winter King whose name is tied to brutality and a catastrophic Freeze that once killed dozens—including someone Madelynn loved. Determined to resist, she meets Lucien expecting a monster… and discovers a dangerous, charismatic ruler whose fearsome reputation hides grief, strategy, and a startling willingness to give her choice.
As their reluctant betrothal turns into real desire, the realm fractures: Summer and Spring push secession, and the human Nightfall Queen escalates her war by stealing magic from captured fae. Madelynn is betrayed, kidnapped, and forced into marriage with Summer’s prince—until she claws her way back to Lucien, only for the battlefield to demand a queen, not a bride.
This installment blends fast-burn romance with court politics, magical warfare, and a heroine who refuses to stay powerless—especially when love, loyalty, and survival all demand the same ruthless courage.