Megan Van Dyke Books

A fantasy romance where Sleeping Beauty meets The Phantom of the Opera and Bridgerton, but with magic.

Forbidden love could change the course of war or extinguish the last hope for freedom. Ilya Valerious, destined to rule Sorrena, finds her homeland conquered by a tyrannical emperor. As a hostage under the watch of Lucien, the emperor's first captain, she devises a perilous plan to liberate her people: seduce Lucien, gather intelligence for a burgeoning rebel movement, and dismantle the regime from within. Beneath Lucien's fearsome facade and formidable magic lies a man striving to fulfill the emperor's promise of peace, a challenge complicated by Ilya's defiance. Despite Lucien's attempts to protect her and sway her to the emperor's side, Ilya remains a dangerous temptation. As she uncovers buried secrets, Lucien begins to question his past, his loyalty, and the emperor he serves. With the fate of an empire hanging in the balance, Ilya and Lucien must confront whether their emerging love is worth the sacrifices they face. But they must act quickly, as the emperor's wrath looms over them. This enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance, rich with warring kingdoms, magic, and intrigue, will captivate fans of epic tales.