The Sting of Victory

Flowridia hopes that employment with her kingdom’s royal family will offer a refuge from the abuse that has shaped her past. Friendship and a new sense of belonging make that hope seem possible, until her attraction to Lady Ayla Darkleaf draws her into a more dangerous world. Ayla’s charm conceals a monstrous history, but Flowridia sees tenderness where others might see only a threat. Their relationship develops amid corrupt politics and a wider conflict stirred by the return of an ancient deity. As the kingdom faces that danger, Flowridia’s loyalties pull in competing directions. Protecting a hard-won home and loving Ayla may demand choices she is not prepared to make.