Magic and Kings Series by Eve Langlais

Tragedy forged her, but love tempered her steely heart.There aren’t many choices for a child arrested and charged with murder. When a mysterious stranger asks an imprisoned Ilyana to be his apprentice, she accepts.Fast forward a few decades and she’s an expert in her field, an assassin for hire with special skills, and an uncanny affinity for weapons. Her newest bounty requires her to eliminate the Barbarian King, only for the first time in her career, she hesitates... moreTragedy forged her, but love tempered her steely heart.There aren’t many choices for a child arrested and charged with murder. When a mysterious stranger asks an imprisoned Ilyana to be his apprentice, she accepts.Fast forward a few decades and she’s an expert in her field, an assassin for hire with special skills, and an uncanny affinity for weapons. Her newest bounty requires her to eliminate the Barbarian King, only for the first time in her career, she hesitates.Turns out she and the monarch from the west might have a common enemy in the Grand Vizier, a highly placed official for a rival country. He’s the one behind the bounty on Konstantin’s head, and the person responsible for the death of Ilyana’s parents.Rather than kill the King, she finds herself working for him. Together, they form a plan for revenge. What they don’t expect is the ensuing tempest of secrets.A betrayal and a capture might spell the end for the Barbarian and the Assassin unless they’re willing to fight not only for survival—but love. less

She was hired to spy on the King, not get dragged on a quest. Asharee lost her family in a monster attack and learned to survive on the streets. It’s a hard life, so when she’s offered a chance to escape, she decides to look past the reputation of the person offering. Best decision ever. While a house of pleasure might seem like a bad place for a young woman, the truth is Asharee’s never been safer. The gradeenas protect their tizanas... moreShe was hired to spy on the King, not get dragged on a quest. Asharee lost her family in a monster attack and learned to survive on the streets. It’s a hard life, so when she’s offered a chance to escape, she decides to look past the reputation of the person offering. Best decision ever. While a house of pleasure might seem like a bad place for a young woman, the truth is Asharee’s never been safer. The gradeenas protect their tizanas. And so she learns how to entice, to dance, to seduce with her eyes and a shake of her hips. But what happens later in the privacy of her room… It’s only an illusion because Asharee’s mentor taught her alchemy. With her potions, she can make her clients believe the fantasy she weaves with words—and get them to spill their secrets. When an old friend asks her to spy on the king, she must resort to a disguise to get close enough. Only he’s not as expected. For one, Daksh sees right through her deception. And still wants her. Together, they will travel to a place long forgotten to try and save a kingdom. They will face a peril unlike any. Be tested to their limits. And if they prevail, they will have to figure out if there’s a future for a spy and her king. less

Assassins aren’t supposed to be heroes.It should have been a simple task: sail the ocean, dump some dangerous stones, and return to his daughter’s side—only Jrijori didn’t count on being abducted.Kind of embarrassing given he’s supposed to be a renowned assassin, but he doesn’t mind once he realizes who’s taken him captive.Zora never forgave Jrijori for trying to kill her father and fleeing. Now that she’s a Queen without an island to rule, she’s turned to pirating to make ends meet... moreAssassins aren’t supposed to be heroes.It should have been a simple task: sail the ocean, dump some dangerous stones, and return to his daughter’s side—only Jrijori didn’t count on being abducted.Kind of embarrassing given he’s supposed to be a renowned assassin, but he doesn’t mind once he realizes who’s taken him captive.Zora never forgave Jrijori for trying to kill her father and fleeing. Now that she’s a Queen without an island to rule, she’s turned to pirating to make ends meet. However, what if she could free her home from the monsters infesting it?Does she even want to?She might not get a choice, as magical forces are at work, determined to use her whether she agrees or not.Will she prevail, or will this pirate Queen lose everything? less