In Horde King of the Shadow by Zoey Draven, Klara, a scholar haunted by dreams of dragons and an unrecorded world, hides her rare and dangerous magic to avoid execution. Rejected by her royal bloodline, her life changes when a dragon appears in her city, making her visions a chilling reality. Sarkin Dirak’zar, the ruthless king of the Sarrothian horde, seeks heartstones to sustain his dragons’ power. Forced to marry Sarkin to save her people, Klara must prove her worth as queen by claiming a dragon of her own. Amid their volatile alliance, unexpected desire grows between Klara and Sarkin, despite the emotional walls he’s built to keep her at bay.
Tropes: virgin heroine, alien heroine, royal heroine, magically gifted heroine, tortured heroine, alien hero, alpha hero, warrior hero, royal hero, forced marriage, marriage of convenience, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, magic and dragons.
Series: Horde Kings of the Elthika, 1
Grade: A
Spice Level: HOT
Horde King of the Shadow is an excellent addition to Draven’s Horde Kings of Dakkar series, set 200 years into the future! Draven masterfully expands the lore of the Horde Kings and delves deeper into the mysteries of Dakkar. The sizzling chemistry between Klara and Sarkin is undeniable, and Klara’s transformation from a timid scholar to a skilled dragon rider feels straight out of a cinematic montage. I’m eagerly anticipating the next installment in this captivating series!
