A Queen Crowned in Flames

Born to rule. Blessed by fire. Broken by desire. Aemyra has always known she is destined for more than the life she leads as a blacksmith: gifted with fire magic from the Goddess Brigid, she is the first female heir born to the throne of Tìr Teine in two hundred years. But her father has kept her identity secret while he has been in exile, waiting for the right time to put his plan in motion and see his daughter ascend the throne. Once a territory built on matriarchal rule and values, Tìr Teine has been without a female heir for two centuries and recent kings have allowed an oppressive and corrupt religion - the True Religion - to infect the land and its people, slowly poisoning their minds with anti-magic teachings. Raised among the people, Aemyra has felt their struggles and has seen Tìr Teine fall into decline as the True Religion has gained power. She has waited in anticipation for the king to die, biding her time until she can bond to his dragon - one of the last in existence - and claim her throne. When her true identity is revealed, Aemyra is thrust into a game of vicious politics and plots, one she finds herself woefully unprepared for. Her biggest adversary is Prince Fiorean, a dragon-rider and the most powerful fire wielder born in decades. Cold, arrogant and without remorse, he is everything Aemyra despises. When he commits an unthinkable act against her, she seeks her vengeance but is captured and forced to become his bride to keep her father and his allies in check. Held captive by her enemies, her life hangs in the balance. When members of the royal family are poisoned, all eyes point to Aemyra and only her marriage to Fiorean keeps her from the executioner's block. Forced to appear as the dutiful wife, Aemyra begins to see that there is perhaps more to Fiorean than she first believed - his façade as a cruel and heartless prince starts to crack and something wild, raw and unexpected sparks between them - a desire and want they can't fully accept, but neither can deny. As she begins to unravel the plot behind the poisonings, she uncovers just how far the rot of corruption has spread and her loyalties to her family, her people and herself come into stark contrast with the reckless and uncontrolled feelings that she has developed for Fiorean. Under the heavy gaze of the royal court, Aemyra begins to understand the true weight of the crown and she must decide what she is willing to sacrifice to claim her throne.

Hazel McBride grew up in Scotland, gaining her BSc in Psychology at the University of Glasgow, before living in the Caribbean, Spain and France. She is now settled in the Netherlands with her Dutch husband and is fluent in four languages. As a former zookeeper, Hazel loves writing about magical and fantastical creatures and as a bisexual author with anxiety, she focuses on writing queer characters and exploring topics such as mental illness within her work. Most of her work draws heavy inspiration from her Scottish heritage and Celtic folklore. When she isn't writing, Hazel can be found eating chocolate and watching shows that fuel her daydreams about morally grey villains - at least until her incessantly energetic border collie, Whiskey, forces her to get off the couch.