Lothar tells himself that he is entering the Bride Trials merely as a way to test his strength and skill against other orc warriors. But when he realizes the female he is given a chance to court is in love with another, he finally admits how much he longs for a mate of his own.
He does the honorable thing and withdraws from the Trials, retreating to the wilderness to lick his wounds - only to find a strange female desperately in need of his help.
Haunted by a troubled past, Jana lives as a virtual recluse, hiding away from everyone. Her one refuge is her beloved garden - until she suddenly finds herself in a strange new world.
The massive orc who finds her has a charming smile and a quick wit, but there is a loneliness in his eyes which matches her own. Can they find refuge in each other, or will they both end up alone again?
Knowing that he’s too big and scarred to ever find a mate, Egon takes on the task of hunting down the plot against the orcs of Norhaven. But when a mysterious woman appears out of nowhere, he must finally confront the scars he’s carried for years.
Can he find the strength to fight for what he wants, or will the shadows of his past consume them both?
As the eldest daughter of the Priest King of Almohad, Jessamin had always known that her marriage would be a political affair. However, she didn’t anticipate being sent to the untamed wilderness of Norhaven to marry to a huge, terrifying orc king. But Ulric is nothing like she envisioned, and beneath his stern facade she glimpses a profound loneliness that mirrors her own. She longs to ease his burdens and make their marriage a true partnership, but he continues to keep her at a distance.
Ulric’s decision to marry Jessamin was based on political necessity, intended to solidify a tenuous alliance between their two kingdoms and provide Norhaven with a much needed ally. He hadn't anticipated his bride's captivating beauty and innate kindness, nor the desire she would awaken within him. His heart urges him to claim her, but how can he when so much more than his own happiness is at stake?
But dark forces are at work, and as Jessamin and Ulric navigate the treacherous terrain of politics and passion, the fate of the Five Kingdoms hangs in the balance.