Sovereign of the Beasts
Marina Velkas never asked to rule.
Once an Imperial Knight, now an appointed Governor, she is sent to the lawless kingdom of Aeger—a land of excess, ruled by the infamous twin kings, Ruyi and Ruyel Vael’Tyrr. The two brothers are brilliant warriors but self-indulgent rulers, turning Aeger into a city of pleasure, vice, and unchecked power.
From the moment Marina arrives, she is undermined, and dismissed as nothing more than a temporary nuisance. But unlike her predecessors, she does not yield.
Armed with ruthless determination, she takes the first step toward reform—only to realize that she has not just challenged a city’s corruption… she has declared war on its kings.
Ruyi, the golden lion shifter, is an enigma of cruelty and charm, his every action laced with dangerous amusement. He rules through indulgence, his body a weapon—both in battle and in desire. He touches only to destroy, yet Marina defies his grasp.
Ruyel, the white tiger shifter, is silent and unshakable, an executioner with no patience for distractions. Unlike his brother, he does not play games—but when Marina refuses to bow, something buried deep within him stirs.
The more Marina fights, the more they take notice. The more she resists, the more they are drawn to her. But in Aeger, power is never freely given. And when desire and dominance collide, the battle for control becomes something far more dangerous than she ever imagined.
She was sent to govern. She might just become a queen.
But first, she must survive.
[The first volume is seductive feline courtship and rather wholesome, but the first chapter is a throw forward to what would happen later.]
________________________________________
Excerpt:
The Courtroom Duel
Ruyi: “Denied.”
Marina: “Of course it is.”
Ruyel: “Try again with something less useless.”
Marina: “Oh, I didn’t realize starving citizens were a matter of inconvenience to Your Majesties.”
Ruyi: “They’re not starving. They’re simply unmotivated.”
Marina: “Perhaps if you put more coin into infrastructure instead of your endless banquets, motivation wouldn’t be an issue.”
Ruyel: “Careful, Governor. That sounds dangerously close to insubordination.”
Marina: “And what will you do? Execute me for stating facts?”
Ruyi: “Tempting, but then it would be too much paperwork?”
Ruyel: “Answering another one of elder sister's calls isn't on my agenda.”
Marina: “I just want a fair negotiation.”
Ruyi: “It was, until you became insufferable.”
Marina: “How terrible for you. A woman you can’t silence.”
Ruyel: “Not yet.”
(Laughter ripples through the court.)
The Tiger’s Sparring Ground
Marina: “Stop touching me like that.”
Ruyel: “I’m correcting your stance.”
Marina: “Find another student.”
Ruyel: “I can’t.”
Marina: “Why?”
Ruyel: “Because no one else is worth my time.”
Marina: “Then suffer alone.”
Ruyel: “Oh, but I enjoy watching you suffer with me.”
Marina: “You’re insufferable.”
Ruyel: “And yet, your legs tremble every time I step too close.”
Marina: “That’s from exhaustion.”
Ruyel: “Liar.”
Marina: “Get off me.”
Ruyel: “No.”
Marina: “I hate you.”
Ruyel: “I know.”
(Silence. Still trapped in his arms.)
The Lion’s Den
Marina: “Stop distracting me.”
Ruyi: “But you’re so cute when you’re angry.”
Marina: “You humiliated me today.”
Ruyi: “And now I’m making up for it.”
Marina: “By crawling into my bed?”
Ruyi: “By holding the most important person in Aeger.”
Marina: “I hate you.”
Ruyi: “I know. Now, let me warm you up.”
Marina: “You rejected my proposal.”
Ruyi: “And I will approve it first thing in the morning.”
Marina: “You—what?”
Ruyi: “The only reason Aeger has more welfare programs than the empire now is because of how cute you are when you argue.”
Marina: “That is not how governance works.”
Ruyi: “That is exactly how governance works.”
Marina: “You—”
Ruyi: “Shh. Sleep, Marina.”
(Tomorrow, the court will call her Governor. But tonight, she holds the true power.)
