Rings of Fate

Aren Bellamore keeps a tavern and wants no part of royalty. Then a brush with death and an encounter with a dangerously handsome stranger leave her bound to a bargain with Prince Dietan.

Dietan has worn the cursed Rings of Fate since he was a child. Their magic is killing him, and his enemies are closing in. He needs someone to pose as his fiancée and cover his secrets while he looks for a cure. Aren agrees, and her price is her freedom.

The two leave together on the search. Court politics press in on them, and a monstrous enemy named Kilandrar stands in their way. A fake engagement between two wary partners starts to turn into real attraction, which makes the pretense harder to keep up.

The fate of two kingdoms rides on whether Dietan finds his cure, and whether Aren can walk away from the deal once it costs her more than she planned. Curses and Crowns begins here, as a romantasy with the romance building alongside the quest.