At the annual royal ball, Prince Y/n expects nothing more than another evening of noble etiquette and political performance. But King Thaddeus Beaumont—a feared, rugged ruler infamous for never marrying and caring little for society’s expectations—takes notice of him. Older, calculating, and impossible to seduce, Thaddeus becomes dangerously intrigued by the younger prince, turning lingering glances and sharp words into something far more consuming.