A Hint of Frost

Araneae Nation, Book 1. When the head of the Araneidae clan is found poisoned in her nest, Lourdes becomes the clan's new maven. She has but one choice: she must marry before her nest is seized. All she needs is a warrior fierce enough to protect her city and safeguard her clansmen. Such a male is Rhys the Cold. The only things Rhys has to his name are his sword and his mercenary reputation. His clan is starving, but their fondness for the flesh of fellow Araneaeans makes them unwelcome dinner guests. Torn between loyalty to his clan and fascination with his future bride, Rhys's first taste of Lourdes threatens to melt the cold encasing his heart. Amid the chaos of battle, Lourdes's sister is captured. Lourdes and Rhys pursue their enemies into the southlands, where they discover an odd plague ravaging southern clans as it travels north, to Erania. Determined to survive, Lourdes will discover whether she's worth her silk or if she's spun the thread by which her clan will hang.