When I closed the door behind me and turned, the void looked as it always did. It didn’t seem to have grown anymore, but it was harder to tell now.
I sighed, raising a brow at Lyri. “Satisfied? Still here. Still just a void. Nothing at all interesting to look at.”
Before he could answer, the void began sparking wildly. The air within it shimmered, like the surface of a lake when it had been disturbed. The low rumbling hum that always came from it grew louder, throbbing in my eardrums.
And then a creature tumbled out of it.
My role as Moric—ruler of a small and prosperous fiefdom in a quiet corner of the world—has always been painfully dull and stifling.
Until a beautiful, otherworldly creature with pink skin and a mane of golden hair falls through a strange void that has appeared in my guestroom.
And I am instantly captivated by him.
I have never seen anything like him. I have no idea where he came from, and what else is through that unsettling void—another world filled with soft-skinned, defenceless creatures like him? No tails, no horns, no claws, no sharp teeth. Tiny clothing, rounded ears, bright blue eyes. He is fascinating. And I want to keep him.
But I have no idea how my citizens and councillors will react to his presence—to the knowledge that a whole other world exists, and there is a portal to it in my guestroom. As much as I try to keep him my secret, the truth starts to slip out.
And those in my fiefdom who cling desperately onto power do their best to tear us apart. To take him from me.
I won’t let them.
Lor is Book Seven of the Monstrous series, a post-apocalyptic m/m fantasy series that features monsters and human men falling in love. It is best to read the series in order.
Warning: This m/m love story contains explicit sexual content and is not suitable for young readers. It also contains non-human genitalia, mentions of a past familial death, grief, depression, attempted murder, depictions of death and violence.
Trigger warnings: Explicit sexual content; non-human genitalia; mentions of a close family death; grief; depression; themes of inequality and prejudice; poisoning; attempted murder; descriptions of on-page injury and violence; brief mentions of homophobia.
If there are any scenes you wish to skip, you can of course get in touch with me and I am more than happy to tell you where certain triggers take place.
LILY MAYNE 