Samiel is trying to keep his head down, but the other castle guards are keen to remind him he isn't worthy of the job he'll probably inherit: his father's as captain and royal confidant. Of course, "keeping his head down" is not how they'd put it; Samiel's defensiveness is spiky, and keeps even his most likely allies at a distance.

When Prince Rapuska of Tyria, a Felien, arrives at the guard corps as a diplomatic envoy to Corniss, his highest priority is getting the lay of the land. His most readily available source of information there is his new roommate: the enigmatic Samiel.

Even with this chance at a fresh start, Samiel tries to keep Rapuska away so the prince's reputation isn't tarnished by association with him. Rapuska sees Samiel's fire differently, however—as a keenness and conviction that may be exactly why he's still positioned for the future he is.

Their mutual concern starts small, but when Samiel is sent to accompany Rapuska back home to Tyria for the Queen's birthday they find the whole capital has entered Felien heat season and their feelings for each other are pushed to their limits.
The Cat and the Brat is a cisbi M / transgay M fantasy romance novel, with a nonbinary AMAB author.
Please consult the author's website or the book preview for content warnings.