Crown of Ash and Bonds: The Flame Between

The universe did not give me a second chance. It gave me a trade. I was bred to be a sacrifice. I was burned alive by the people I loved most. I came back from the ash to reclaim my life, my title, and a power that should have stayed buried. The betrayal is finished. The divorce is final . I am no longer the girl they can cage. But the cost of my freedom was higher than I imagined. The one ally I trusted has vanished. He left a crumbling empire and a hole in my world I cannot fill. The wards protecting my kingdom are failing. I have eight months to reach the final trial or watch everything I fought for collapse. I have to do it under the shadow of the Crown Prince. Thalion thinks I am a monster. He does not trust my blood, my smiles, or my intentions. He is my mandatory escort because he does not trust anyone else to watch me. He is there to document every slip. He is there to decipher the dangerous secret I am hiding. Eight months with a man who watches me with cold, calculated suspicion. The way he looks at me when the shadows grow long is not just wariness. It is a hunger that threatens to burn us both down. I am playing a new game now. This time, I am the one holding the torch. Regression | Enemies-to-Lovers | Forced Proximity | Slow Burn | Political Intrigue | R18 ________________________________________ Note to Readers: This is the second book of Crown of Ash and Bonds and an entry in The Soulfire Chronicles. This volume is currently ongoing. Because it follows the direct consequences of the first book, you must start the journey with Book 1: The Rise of the Flamebearer. For the full history of the pyre and the betrayal that started it all, the beginning of Seraphina's journey is available now .