A King Without His Sword

Prince Vaelor Asterion was never meant to wear the crown. His older brother was the heir, and Ren Ashmark was only the lowborn boy assigned to train beside him. Twenty years later, the heir is dead, the king is failing, and Vaelor is the kingdom's last answer. Ren has become his sworn shield: the best sword in Thessara, the man the court fears, and the one person Vaelor has wanted for most of his life. Wanting Ren is dangerous. The noble council is looking for a reason to break the prince's power, a foreign marriage is being pushed as a political solution, and someone is using the old murder of Vaelor's brother to turn the court against them both. When Ren is framed for treason, Vaelor must decide whether he will rule like the men who raised him or risk a kingdom to save the man who has spent his life standing at his back. Steel, secrets, and a crown built on grief are not enough to keep them apart forever. A dark MM royal fantasy romance featuring a prince and his bodyguard, childhood devotion, forbidden love, court intrigue, a treason plot, political marriage pressure, and a hard-won ending. Content Note: Intended for mature readers 18+. Contains explicit adult sexual content, royal power imbalance, violence, war, betrayal, imprisonment, grief, threats, and coercive court politics.