Prince of Rats (The Dragon Crown Trilogy, Book 1) · Chrissa Carrington ✦ Indie Paperback

In the midst of the Ottoman conquest of Europe, ten-year-old Ilona is torn from her home and made to live with her uncle whom she despises. There, she meets Vlad Dracula, the man who would go on to become the infamous villain of his age. They form an unlikely connection that she cherishes the memory of for years to come.

Eight years later, stubborn, free-spirited Ilona is not a child anymore. When Vlad is brought as a captive to the castle, she’s determined to prove everyone wrong about him, though the young man she once met is now a bitter, cold, and dangerous creature.

Despite the dangers that lurk at every corner, Ilona is hell-bent on freeing the man she feels indebted to, even if that means putting her own safety on the line.

In the dead of winter, time is running out to preserve what sanity the man she admires has left.

But it’s not only time that is slipping away from her. It is also her heart.