Fernandez, S.T. - The Forbidden King (The Heir of Atlantis series)

Gold Winner – BookFest Awards (Novella)
Silver Winner – BookFest Awards (Fantasy Romance)

A human chambermaid. A grieving Fae king. A forbidden bond that could shatter everything.

Reneah Diaz, the leader of the palace’s chambermaids and valets, is the picture of discipline and legacy—respected, admired, untouchable. But when the widowed King Cathan returns to Atlantis, cloaked in sorrow and accompanied by his young daughter, everything changes.

An unexpected friendship forms between servant and sovereign—tender, tentative, and dangerous. As Reneah crosses invisible boundaries, she uncovers the truth behind Cathan’s mysterious mating bond with the late Queen Neleah… and an undisclosed secret that could shatter the very foundation of his daughter’s rule.

Cathan never imagined wanting again, not after Neleah. But something in Reneah calls to him, something deep and undeniable. In a queendom where palace politics forbids any relationship between Fae royalty and human staff, his desire for her risks not only scandal but the fragile trust of the council and daughter alike.

When Cathan moves Reneah into the royal wing, whispers turn to warnings. And as affection turns into something far more treacherous, they must face an impossible choice: protect their hearts, or risk it all for a love that was never meant to exist.

The Forbidden King is a novella in the Heir of Atlantis series (Book 1.5), and should be read after The Veiled Heir. A spicy romantasy filled with forbidden longing, emotional depth, and high-stakes intrigue. For readers 18+. Content and trigger warnings are listed at the beginning of the book and STFernandez.com.