Exiled from her homeland and stripped of her magic, Ellagael wanders Leusandia with nothing left to live for. Alone and grieving, knowing she has lost everything, she is ready to surrender to despair—until an ogre stumbles upon her at a quiet pond and changes her fate. Birbal just wants to be left alone. Caring for others is a weakness—at least, until he discovers a beautiful elf on the brink of hopelessness and chooses to claim her for himself. To survive brutal customs, shifting loyalties, and a tribe that views Ellagael as property, they agree to oaths that require compromise, sacrifice, and trust that intertwine their fates in unimaginable ways. Their fragile bond threatens to unravel everything that brought them together when a challenge for power rises within the encampment. Can they trust each other enough to lower their defenses? Will they risk opening their hearts to love? This is a prequel to the Devotion Duology . This novella can be read before the duology without spoilers, but may be best after reading Alliance and Devotion .