Substitute bride of the king

They said I had no choice. That my mother’s medicine would run out by sunrise if I didn’t agree. So I stood in for the princess, dressed in silk that didn’t belong to me, and married a king known for spilling more blood than wine. Not because the princess disappeared—no, she watched from behind her veil, perfectly healthy, perfectly cruel, as I was shoved into her place like a pawn.
King Liam doesn’t know I’m just a maid. He thinks I’m the delicate, noble bride promised to him. And every day I play the role, terrified he’ll see through me—terrified he won’t.
Because beneath his cold eyes and sharp words, there’s something darker. Something that pulls me in. And if I’m not careful, I won’t just lose my life.
I’ll lose my heart, too.