A dragon rider seeking revenge for the death of her brother. A ruthless fae lord with his own agenda. A love that will drive the fae kingdom to its knees. I'm nothing but an orphan, a dragon trainer in one of the many border fortresses. When beasts attack the villages, I ride, driving them back to the hellscape they crawled from. When my adopted brother's killed during battle, I discover who's controlling the invading beasts-the brutal ruler of the neighboring fae kingdom. A gruesome plot is brewing beneath the glimmering fae surface, and he's responsible for it all. Now vengeance is all I live for. No matter how powerful or well-guarded the king is, I will avenge my brother. This I swear. To infiltrate the king's court, I'm forced to make a deal with Vexxion, a devastatingly beautiful and equally malicious fae lord. In exchange for getting me close to the king, I'll allow Vexxion to claim me as his own. He'll train me, and I'll give him access to my supposedly dormant magic. Little does he know I have no power for him to harness. Surrendering to Vexxion's seductive allure could fracture what little remains of my heart. Falling for him could destroy my wounded soul. But learning his wicked secrets could shatter me completely. A Kingdom of Bitter Magic is Book 1 in the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns trilogy. Expect spice, suspense, a ruthless, determined woman, and a fae lord with stalker-like tendencies who will stop at nothing to claim her as his own. This book ends with a cliffhanger. Trigger warning: stalker-like, morally gray hero, creatures licking blood, blood, killing beasts, battles, danger, death, fire, many trying to murder Tempest, touch her and die (sometimes he does so on the page).