The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee

Here is a summary with spoilers of The Veiled Kingdom

Nyra is a princess living on the streets, though few know her true identity. Born to the king and queen, she failed to manifest any magic by the age of ten. Her parents, worried about what this could mean, instructed her to keep it a secret. After her mother’s death, her father grew indifferent, and when the castle was raided, Nyra seized the opportunity to escape, vowing never to return. Without money or resources, she now survives on the streets alongside her best friend, Micah, saving what little she can in hopes of leaving one day. To avoid recognition, she has remained hidden, as the soldiers outside the castle don’t know her face, and the kingdom still believes she is locked away in her tower. As part of her survival strategy, Nyra marks herself with a fake rebellion symbol, hoping to use it as an escape route if necessary—but when she’s caught stealing, it only lands her in deeper trouble.

Meanwhile, Dacre, the son of the rebellion leader, is on a mission to rescue his imprisoned sister, Wren, alongside his friend Kai. They infiltrate the prison with ease and find Wren, but she refuses to leave without the girl imprisoned alongside her, who also bears the rebellion mark. When Dacre lays eyes on the girl, she seems strangely familiar. Reluctantly, he agrees to take her with them.

Nyra fears Dacre recognizes her. When he questions if she was in the castle during the raid, she claims she was just a servant. He doesn’t believe her, and soon realizes her rebellion mark is fake. Determined to uncover the truth, he takes her to the rebellion’s underground city. There, Nyra gives her name and insists she has no magic—an unexpected revelation. Since she lacks magical abilities, she must instead train as a warrior, falling under Dacre’s instruction. She is assigned a room in the barracks with Wren.

Dacre reports to his father, who has become obsessed with the missing princess. He believes the king has kept her locked away because she possesses powerful magic that could turn the tide of the rebellion. When he learns that Dacre has brought a girl from the castle, he demands that Dacre extract any useful information from her.

Training begins, and Nyra struggles. She knows nothing of combat. Though Wren and Kai try to help, Dacre is relentless, intent on humiliating her. Amidst her struggles, she grows close to another warrior, Eiran, who genuinely helps her improve. Dacre and Nyra, however, continue to clash, their banter laced with growing tension. That tension peaks one night when Nyra is forced to sleep in Dacre’s room, and he sees the scars on her back for the first time. His perception of her shifts—he grows possessive, despite his lingering distrust.

Things escalate further when the warriors get a rare night off. Eiran invites Nyra out, but Dacre, drunk and volatile, intervenes. He attempts to humiliate both of them but ultimately ends up alone with Nyra, where they share an intense, unexpected kiss. The next morning, as Dacre nurses a hangover, Nyra and Wren are sent on a mission with the rebel leader. There, they meet an old palace advisor who reveals that the king is hunting for his daughter and intends to kill her. Before he can say more, he recognizes Nyra and attacks. Wren kills him, but with his dying breath, he utters one last word—"princess." Furious and suspicious, the rebellion leader begins to question Nyra’s true identity.

Dacre takes Nyra out again the following day, this time on secret errands into the city. Nervous, she follows him to his grandmother’s home. The old woman recognizes her immediately but doesn’t say so outright. Instead, she cryptically mentions that the boy Nyra once lived with is searching for her. Nyra has a sinking feeling that Dacre’s grandmother knows exactly who she is. The old woman also suggests that Dacre, not his father, will one day rule the kingdom.

Back at the underground city, Dacre shifts Nyra’s training to archery, where she excels. But during practice, something unexpected happens—she taps into magic for the first time. Shocked and horrified, she realizes her secret is unraveling. Dacre, feeling vindicated in his suspicions, now fully believes she is a traitor and a liar. That night, their tension reaches a breaking point. They meet again, drawn to each other despite everything, but before anything can truly happen, Dacre’s father interrupts. He coldly informs Dacre that it’s time for him to leave. Nyra feels dismissed, but the rejection only fuels her determination.

Later, Dacre is summoned by his father, who has intercepted a message from his grandmother. The note confirms what Dacre has just begun to suspect—the king is desperately searching for Nyra because he knows exactly who she is. It all clicks into place. The missing princess. His father’s obsession. The girl who has been under his nose this entire time.

Now tasked with bringing Nyra to his father, Dacre returns to his room, where she is waiting for him. Fueled by anger and betrayal, he decides to exact his revenge. They spend the night together, but just as their passion reaches its peak, he whispers her true name—Verena.

Nyra is blindsided. Dacre’s revelation cuts deep. Before she can react, he tells her to run.

Because no matter what happens next, he will find her.