Prince of the Fallen by M. H. Woodscourt

SPFBO9

Raised by ghosts. Trained by gods. How far will he go to save those who betrayed him? Abandoned in the wilderness, Lekore lives with ghosts and fallen gods, until his efforts to rescue a traveling princess and her entourage bring him into a civilization unlike anything he’s ever known. Caught in a net of silk and secrets, Lekore finds himself ensnared by court intrigue, midnight assassins, and a deviant faction of the Church of the Sun Gods—all thirsting for his blood. He just wants to find the man who deserted him, until a storm rises out of the north, furious enough to destroy the city and outlying lands. Now Lekore must find the source of its wrath, deep in the wilds of the deadly Lands Beyond, if he can flee a city that won’t let him escape.

A Hired Blade by JC Rycroft

SFINCS

A sellsword's bargain. A burgeoning desire. A future balanced on the point of a blade Sellsword Des is travelling alone in a dry and dusty southern land, after a spectacular bust up with her best friend. She's running low on coin, so when former client Karina offers her a job leading her caravan's security through brigand country, it feels like a gift. Des has done the route before, but she isn't sure about leading solo. She recommends Karina hire Cap, a rugged old mercenary, to head up the crew. Maybe she'll even learn a thing or two about how to lead, in between the delightful distraction of Karina's flirtations and keeping the marauders at bay. As they head off on their long trip across Rescalin, though, the wheels start to come off Des's plan. The crew is drinking too much, even on duty, and Cap is dismissive of the dangers she identifies. Des worries she's made the wrong call by putting Cap as the lead, and Karina is in her ear, wanting her to take over. As brigands close in, will Des back the merc she put in charge? Or will she take over - and risk the caravan's safety resting on her blade alone?

The Blood-Born Dragon by JC Rycroft

SPFBO9

A bond she didn’t choose.
A love she can’t escape.
A creature so powerful it bends the limits of time… Smart, sassy, and sanguine, Des Mildue is a traveling sellsword in Rescalin, a dry and dusty kingdom full of rogues, opportunists, and thieves. She keeps her nose clean, brazens it out with a blade when she can’t, and keeps others at arm’s length where they can’t mess up her plans. That is, until a sword fight gone wrong leaves her tied by blood to the first dragon hatched in centuries. Suddenly, Des has to contend with a new voice in her head: haughty, willful Esquidamelion. Des wants to leave Squid by the roadside, but the blood bond has other ideas. With half the world on their tail - including Liv, her beautiful, faithless ex who Des is definitely over - Des must search for answers for why so many are willing to kill, maim and torture to get their hands on Squid. But she’s beginning to suspect her blood bond has tied her not only to a dragon, but to a fight for Rescalin’s future… …and no one else even knows it’s at risk. If you like the kind of story that grabs you by the shirtfront and hauls you through mystery, magic, adventure and betrayal, with a side of sapphic romance, pick up The Blood-Born Dragon, first in a new trilogy from debut author J.C. Rycroft.