She was supposed to heal him. Instead, she set him free.

In the brutal underground of the Ember Market, magic users are bought, sold, and caged like animals. Senna Borne has survived three years as a reluctant healer by following one rule: never touch the fighters.

But when she's assigned to treat Ashfang, the Market's most dangerous gladiator, one accidental contact changes everything. His suppression collar cracks. His voice returns after three years of silence. And their magic bonds in a way that's never been recorded.

The connection between them is volatile, flaring hotter with every stolen touch. Her venom magic and his earth power are syncing in dangerous new ways. But in a world where bonded magic users are worth more than gold, their forbidden connection makes them the most valuable prizes in the Market.

Now they have a choice: submit to their captors and become weapons in someone else's war, or fight for a freedom that might destroy them both.

Some bonds are worth burning for.

Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and Hunt on Dark Waters

Forced magical bonding
Gladiator romance
Touch-starved fighters
Magic-reactive spice
Underground fight rings
Morally gray world-building

Ashmarked is a standalone novella introducing the brutal world of The Ember Market series, where magic is currency, bonds are weapons, and some flames are worth burning for.