A woman hiding a terrifying secret. A dryad elf prince fighting the beast inside him. A forbidden love that will lead to bloodshed. Isa longs to escape her abusive employers and see the world, but on a ship, it feels impossible. But when a storm wrecks the ship and throws her onto a legendary island of dryad elves, for the first time, she is more than arm's length from her oppressors. Hope for a better future sparks to life, but everything is not as it seems... Viridi was raised to be a protective beast for his people-the Thorned One. But something is wrong with him. Very wrong. His father, the king, doesn't believe him and refuses to use caution in his efforts to push Viridi to shift into this new form. When Isa and Viridi meet on the storm-lashed beach, a powerful fated bond irrevocably links their hearts. The king will sooner kill Isa than allow them to be together. With Viridi losing more of himself by the day and Isa's enemies rising once more, their situation grows deadly serious. Will their connection survive the coming storm? What must they sacrifice for their love? This is a standalone, dual POV fantasy romance with electric tension, steamy fade to black scenes, banter, dark elven and fae princes, a powerful female lead, and Beauty and the Beast vibes.