Vessel of the Forsaken: A Crime Syndicate Fantasy Novel

To escape a royal marriage, she makes a bargain with a god who has every reason to lie.Princess Lyra cannot wield the magic that defines her family. Her father sees a political pawn; the court sees a disappointment. But Lyra can pick a lock, read a weakness and steal a secret. When the Sun King announces her betrothal, she searches the forbidden ruins of the palace for a way out.An onyx chess piece answers. Rook, a banished god of mischief and chaos, offers freedom in exchange for help reclaiming what the heavens took from him. His power can open impossible doors. Her cunning can get them through without permission.Their bargain becomes a series of celestial heists: guarded temples, forged identities, a divine masquerade and a library beyond ordinary reach. Each theft brings them closer to the gods who want Rook erased-and to a clockwork hunter that cannot be charmed.As suspicion gives way to desire, Lyra must decide how much of herself to risk on an ally whose secrets may change the terms of their deal. A romantasy of dangerous bargains, slow-building attraction and a princess determined to choose her own future.