Gwendolyn meets the demon king's gaze in the obsidian throne room, her defiance wavering under the crimson lanterns as his fingers trace her waist. Centuries of isolation fuel the command in his eyes, pulling at the acceptance she has denied herself.

The ritual scroll waits to bind her to him forever, her resistance clashing with the dominance that could grant the belonging she craves. With the rival on the dais and the door sealing them in, the bond demands what her sharp tongue has always withheld.

Can she survive the demon king's claim without surrendering the fire that drew him to her?