The ruins of London were not what they once were.
After the Collapse, the city had become a
patchwork of fortified enclaves, each ruled by
its own law. The air was thick with ash and the
scent of decay, but beneath it all, something
else lingered—magic. Not the old kind, but a new
one, twisted by the Collapse, that only the Fae
could wield.
Prince Caelum of the Silver Veil had no choice
but to descend into the human realm. His people
had been fractured, their magic diluted, and the
last of their power lay in the blood of those
who could still feel the old ways. He needed a
vessel—one with enough will to survive the game
and enough strength to endure the bond.
Enter Julian Hart, a billionaire whose empire
had survived the Collapse by hoarding resources
and striking deals with whoever held power. He
had no interest in Fae politics, but when a
faction of rogue Fae demanded his hand in
marriage for safe passage through their
territory, he had little choice. The contract
was clear: a union of convenience, sealed with a
binding spell that would tether their fates
together.
The first rule of the contract was simple: no
lies. If either party lied, the other could
demand a price. The second was more dangerous:
if the marriage failed, the bond would unravel,
and both would be cursed with a slow, agonising
death.
Julian moved into the ruined estate on the
outskirts of the city, where Caelum waited. The
house had once been a grand manor, now stripped
of its furnishings and left to the elements. It
was a fitting place for a marriage built on
necessity.
Caelum had expected resistance, but Julian was
worse than he anticipated. He did not flinch at
the sight of the Fae’s glamour or the way the
air shimmered around him. Instead, he studied
him like a man appraising an investment.
“You’re not the first Fae I’ve dealt with,”
Julian said, his voice steady. “But you’re the
first one who doesn’t look like he wants to kill
me.”
Caelum narrowed his eyes. “That is because I
have no reason to.”
The first test came quickly. A band of
scavengers, desperate and armed, attacked the
estate under the cover of night. They had heard
whispers of the Fae prince and the billionaire,
and they wanted what they believed to be
treasure.
Julian fought them off with a gun and a blade,
but it was Caelum’s magic that turned the tide.
He called down fire from the sky, reducing the
attackers to ash. When the dust settled, Julian
looked at him with something close to respect.
“Not bad,” he muttered.
But the game was far from over. The rogue Fae
had not forgotten their bargain, and they sent a
message: a threat. If the marriage did not
proceed as planned, the estate would be
destroyed.
Julian refused to play the part of the obedient
bridegroom. He had no interest in Fae rituals or
the ancient customs that bound them. He wanted
out.
Caelum, however, had no such luxury. His people
were dying, and the only hope of restoring their
power lay in the blood of humans who could still
feel the old magic. Julian was that blood.
So, he made a choice.
He broke the first rule of the contract.
He lied.
Julian found out within hours. The bond flared
between them, searing pain through their bodies.
Caelum collapsed, gasping for breath, while
Julian stared at him with something between fury
and fear.
“You told me this was a marriage of convenience,
” Julian said. “You never said it would be a
death sentence.”
Caelum struggled to his feet. “It is not a death
sentence. It is a chance.”
Julian did not believe him. But he had no other
options. The rogue Fae were closing in, and the
only way to stop them was to play the game to
its end.
They performed the final ritual under the light
of a blood moon. The bond was sealed, and the
magic surged through them both.
When it was done, Julian stood beside Caelum,
breathing heavily. The Fae prince looked at him,
and for the first time, there was no pretence
between them.
“You’re not what I expected,” Julian said.
Caelum smiled faintly. “Neither are you.”
The world outside remained broken, but for the
first time in years, the Fae had a foothold in
the human realm. And the billionaire had found
something unexpected in a prince who had once
seemed untouchable.
The game was over. The bond was real. And
neither of them would ever be the same again.
