Jory hides her daughter from Thorn while serving as his aide.
Jory Applewhite fled Thorn Ashburne seven years past to shield the heir and kingdom from peril, vanishing to a border citadel where she raised their daughter Poppy in silence while tending stables. Fate crashes back when Thorn arrives as the realm's supreme battle-mage and fresh Mage-Commander, instantly commandeering Jory as his personal aide. A magical brand ignites each time their skin meets, threatening to expose the child she swore he would never know. Orc hordes press against the gates while Thorn's betrothed circles with sharpened suspicion, squeezing Jory between duty and a secret that could shatter everything.
Why it hooks you
- Secret child meets powerful ex-lover boss
- Magic mark forces unwanted proximity reveals
- Orc siege and jealous rival raise stakes
Intensity
Tension rides high with magical reveals and siege pressure, yet quiet moments with Poppy offer warm breathers.
