Chelsea thought her biggest problem was surviving the third anniversary of her mother’s disappearance—until a stranger with silver eyes and a royal bearing pulls her through a fog-laced garden into a world that shouldn’t exist. In the empire of Asterra, Chelsea is told she is the last of the Bloodbound, a royal bloodline with the power to wield ancient magic and rule the four kingdoms.
But power comes with a price.
Her mother, once a fierce warrior of the empire, was murdered by her own brother—Zeno—who now seeks to destroy every remaining heir and claim the throne for himself. Trained by five elemental princes, each with their own secrets, scars, and loyalties, Chelsea is thrown into a whirlwind of fire, steel, and memory. Among them, she grows closest to Logan, the stoic northern prince who trains her relentlessly to survive, and Xander, the gray-eyed warrior who sees the girl beneath the crown.
As Chelsea's power grows, so does her fear: that she might not be strong enough, or worse—she might not be the rightful heir at all.
When she reaches out to her ancestor, the spirit of Emperor Leo confirms her darkest suspicion: another Bloodbound exists—a boy born in secret, hidden in the ashes of a forgotten village. Determined to find him before Zeno does, Chelsea sets out with her protectors to locate the lost heir.
What she finds is Kael, a bitter and battle-hardened boy who carries more than the bloodline—he is the son of the previous emperor, the true heir to the throne, and the cousin she never knew.
Now torn between a legacy she never asked for and a boy who might be stronger, Chelsea must decide: will she fight for the throne, or give it up to protect the one who was born for it? As war brews and betrayal creeps inside palace walls, Chelsea learns that being chosen isn’t enough—she must choose herself.
And with Zeno’s army moving faster than expected, she may not have much time left.
