Crude Games (The Chronicles of Crofea, #1)

They feared the witches. Yet in a kingdom steeped in fae magic and royal deceit, the true threat was the king who destroyed her life with a single command.

Audryn Clair never lived for revenge—until her brother was wrongfully executed. Chosen as one of three women vying for the prince’s hand, she has a month inside the castle to get close enough to bring down the crown from within.

Prince Ryder Sutton needs more than a wife. He needs a weapon. When the mated bond required to inherit the throne proves elusive, he turns to an unlikely source of magic. But some bonds come at a cost and consume everything in their path.

As Audryn draws closer to the prince, she becomes entangled in a dangerous game. Missing jewels, poisoned contenders, and whispers of sabotage turn the courtship into a struggle for crown and heart alike. Secrets unravel. Loyalties fracture. And Audryn must decide which will destroy her first—the vengeance she swore to claim or the prince she was never meant to fall for.