The Kingdom Below Series by Emma Hamm

Traded for peace. Sacrificed to a monster.Maia Fremont just wanted a chance. When the opportunity to create floral arrangements for the royal wedding is offered to her, who is she to say no? But the crown is never honest, and soon enough she finds herself thrust into an unwanted union with a fearsome troll. Ripped from her beloved garden and the only life she’s ever known, she’s offered as a bride to a creature she’s only heard whispers of—rumors of brutality, darkness, and insatiable hunger... moreTraded for peace. Sacrificed to a monster.Maia Fremont just wanted a chance. When the opportunity to create floral arrangements for the royal wedding is offered to her, who is she to say no? But the crown is never honest, and soon enough she finds herself thrust into an unwanted union with a fearsome troll. Ripped from her beloved garden and the only life she’s ever known, she’s offered as a bride to a creature she’s only heard whispers of—rumors of brutality, darkness, and insatiable hunger.Ragnar, a powerful troll healer, is disgusted by the human king’s deception. His duty to his people forces him to accept this lie of a marriage. His bride is a fragile human instead of the strong half elven mate he expected. Her meager magic is an insult, but honor and allegiance bind him to her. No matter how much he hates it.Married to a beast who sees her as nothing more than a tool to strengthen his bloodline, Maia must fight for her life in the treacherous world of the trolls. But in their kingdom Deep within the mountain, she must balance her growing attraction for her gruff, surprisingly poetic husband against the lurking dangers in this strange new world—especially when the growing darkness threatens to tear them apart. less

She was the offering. He became the sanctuary.Astrid has survived her entire life by staying silent. As a veiled priestess, she advises a nobleman who makes every decision for her. But when a letter arrives claiming her long-lost sister is alive and captured by the trolls, Astrid is ready to risk everything.What she didn’t expect? Her nobleman is in debt. And he’s decided to pay it with her body... moreShe was the offering. He became the sanctuary.Astrid has survived her entire life by staying silent. As a veiled priestess, she advises a nobleman who makes every decision for her. But when a letter arrives claiming her long-lost sister is alive and captured by the trolls, Astrid is ready to risk everything.What she didn’t expect? Her nobleman is in debt. And he’s decided to pay it with her body.Traded to the gladiator pits beneath the kingdom, Astrid is handed to a brutal troll warrior known only as the Bull. Massive. Silent. Deadly. He’s everything she’s been taught to fear, and the only one who might help her escape.Bjorn has spent years shackled, forced to fight for human entertainment. But when a fragile human woman is gifted to him, begging for help, something ancient stirs in his blood. Honor. Purpose. Rage.He breaks his chains for her.Now they’re on the run through ancient wilds, cursed lands, and Bjorn’s broken homeland. But Astrid is hiding more than secrets behind her veil. Magic pulses beneath her skin. And Bjorn? He might not be the monster she was taught to fear... but the man fate never meant her to love. less

She hides from the world. He’s the monster who refuses to let her vanish.Rose has spent her life running. From hunger, from pain, from anyone who dared to care for her. Once a street thief, then a reluctant priestess, then a prize in a gladiator’s arena, she’s learned that safety only comes from silence. From disappearing into dreams and a false reality that has always kept her safe.Until Gunnar finds her.The troll warrior with eyes like storm clouds and hands that could shatter stone... moreShe hides from the world. He’s the monster who refuses to let her vanish.Rose has spent her life running. From hunger, from pain, from anyone who dared to care for her. Once a street thief, then a reluctant priestess, then a prize in a gladiator’s arena, she’s learned that safety only comes from silence. From disappearing into dreams and a false reality that has always kept her safe.Until Gunnar finds her.The troll warrior with eyes like storm clouds and hands that could shatter stone. The moment he sees her, he knows she’s his, and that claiming her will take more than brute strength. It will take patience. Trust. The slow, dangerous surrender of her heart.But the realm is changing. Humans are flooding into the troll kingdom, and the king has declared bridal games—a brutal contest to bind humans and trolls in marriage. Rose is fragile, untrained, and has no wish to compete. Gunnar can’t bear to see her offered to another.So he enters the games himself. To fight for her. To prove his worth. Even if it means pretending he could ever want anyone but her.Because monsters may not dream, but for Rose, Gunnar will tear apart the waking world itself. less