In the ancient kingdom of Varonthar, a terrible tradition endures: every hundred years, a bride must be sacrificed to the Dread King, a monstrous ruler who dwells in the obsidian fortress beneath the cursed mountains. No bride has ever returned.

When Elira Thorne, a headstrong healer's apprentice with a mysterious spiral birthmark and hidden blood magic, is chosen as the next sacrifice, she expects to meet a monster. Instead, she discovers Morthen Vex, a cursed man wreathed in shadows and sorrow, bound by a vow older than the gods themselves.

As Elira uncovers the truth behind centuries of deception, she realizes the bride sacrifice isn't what she's been told. The Dread King isn't a monster demanding tribute, but a guardian maintaining an ancient binding that protects both realms from Vorathrax, a world-devouring entity that hungers to break free.

With the binding weakening and forces conspiring on both sides to shatter it completely, Elira must make an impossible choice. The prophecy states she alone can either strengthen the seal forever or break it entirely. But the cost may be higher than anyone imagined.

Bride of the Dread King is a darkly enchanting fantasy romance that subverts expectations at every turn. Featuring a determined heroine coming into her power, a morally complex hero burdened by centuries of sacrifice, and a slow-burn romance that defies fate itself, this tale of transformation explores how understanding can bridge the greatest divides—and how sometimes, what begins as sacrifice becomes the most powerful partnership of all.

Perfect for fans of romantic fantasy with complex magic systems, high stakes, and enemies-to-lovers romance where neither party is quite what they seem.