kissed under the thorn moon

In the border village of Thornhaven, healer Elara Blackthorn has spent her whole life hiding a secret: a magic that shouldn't exist in a human body, one she's terrified will get her killed if anyone ever finds out.She doesn't get a choice for long. When the ancient Blood Treaty comes due, Elara is chosen as the human bonding candidate - dragged across the border into the Thornborne Court to be tethered to Cassian Thornvale, the cold, controlled Prince of Thorns, in a ritual neither of them wants.But the moment Elara steps into the Thornwood, the forest itself recognizes her. Her magic isn't just rare - it's the very thing the dying kingdom has been searching for. As the bond between her and Cassian deepens from obligation into something neither can outrun, Elara begins to unravel a decades-old conspiracy rotting the Thornwood from within - one built on a murder, a sealed record, and a lie that cost her everything before she was ever born.With the Thorn Moon rising and a traitor closing in, Elara must decide what she's willing to become: an instrument to be used, or the one person with the power to save both worlds - and the prince who was never supposed to fall for her.