Clockwork KissUpdated at Jan 22, 2026, 03:12
Anya Ashford, a museum curator in modern-day Chicago, finds herself planning a lonely Christmas. Late on a snowy December night. While inspecting a newly acquired, intricately carved antique nutcracker, she accidentally triggers a hidden mechanism. In a flash of blinding light, Anya is pulled through a brief, bewildering portal. She lands in a breathtaking, snow-dusted realm called Aethelgard. Anya has crashed the realm's most exclusive event: the Winter Solstice Gala. Overwhelmed by the sight of real Fae, Elves, and glittering magic, she attempts to blend in, only to immediately collide with Lord Torian, the Gala's stoic and devastatingly handsome host.Torian, a powerful noble burdened by deep responsibility, instantly recognizes the discordant, non-magical energy surrounding Anya. To keep his kingdom safe from scandal and possible attackers, he takes her as his reluctant dance partner, launching them into a charged masquerade dance. During the gala, Anya discovers a conspiracy that not only launches them into a high-stakes quest to save the realm, but uncovers secrets about her own family history.