Ishtar's Legacy Series by Lisa Blackwood

Woman. Protector of the Crown Prince. Avenging Blade of the Goddess Ishtar. Rescued from her grandfather’s dungeon by the King of the Gryphons, Enkara only wishes to repay that great debt by serving as one of the elite Shadow Guards tasked with protecting the royal line. Unfortunately, the gods have other plans, for she was born with the mark of a goddess running down her spine and her destiny is far greater than that of a simple guard... moreWoman. Protector of the Crown Prince. Avenging Blade of the Goddess Ishtar. Rescued from her grandfather’s dungeon by the King of the Gryphons, Enkara only wishes to repay that great debt by serving as one of the elite Shadow Guards tasked with protecting the royal line. Unfortunately, the gods have other plans, for she was born with the mark of a goddess running down her spine and her destiny is far greater than that of a simple guard. She is one of the Goddess Ishtar’s Avenging Blades, born into the world when danger stalks the royal line. While that brings far more attention than she ever wished, she is still happy to serve Crown Prince Kuwari, for he is also her closest friend, and their bond is unlike any other Blade and Prince before them. But Ishtar isn’t the only goddess with a desire to claim Enkara as her Blade and Kuwari as her King. Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld, is jealous of her younger sister, Ishtar, and will do all in her power to snatch them away, even if she must destroy the gryphon kingdom to do it. Ishtar’s Legacy Reading Order: Ishtar’s Blade A Blade’s Beginning (Short story. Enkara and Kuwari’s first meeting when they were children.) Blade’s Honor Blade’s Destiny (forthcoming later in 2018) less

A queen and a slave must find their destiny together. Decadence and depravity have long been hallmarks of the Gryphon Court. A young king dares to bring change. An assassin’s blade ends those dreams. Tirigan, an escaped human slave, makes a desperate bid for his future by seeking out the young king who is said to abhor slavery. But Tirigan is too late and quickly finds himself back in the slave pens... moreA queen and a slave must find their destiny together. Decadence and depravity have long been hallmarks of the Gryphon Court. A young king dares to bring change. An assassin’s blade ends those dreams. Tirigan, an escaped human slave, makes a desperate bid for his future by seeking out the young king who is said to abhor slavery. But Tirigan is too late and quickly finds himself back in the slave pens. Asharru is still grieving her twin brother’s death when the crown is thrust upon her. Intelligent and cunning, she knows none in her new court can be trusted. One of them is the mastermind behind her beloved brother’s assassination. She needs help and there is only one place left for her to seek it. The slave markets of Nineveh. There she plans to acquire a small group of slaves, free them, restore their dignity, and offer them positions as servants and spies. She is soon drawn to one beaten and chained man. To her horror and hope, she recognizes him as one of Ishtar’s sacred Blades, a warrior born to protect the royal line. Tirigan has no love for gryphons, but they must put aside their differences and bond as Blade and Queen if they hope to save their kingdom. Blade’s Destiny is a Fantasy Romance loosely based on early Sumerian and Mesopotamian mythology. It can be read as a standalone, but for maximum enjoyment it’s better to read the series in order. ***Author’s Note*** Queen Asharru and Blade Tirigan are King Ditanu’s ancestors. This is their tale, but fear not, we’ll return to Ditanu, Iltani, Kuwari and Enkara in The Blade’s Shadow. Coming in 2019. Ishtar's Legacy Reading Order: Ishtar's Blade A Blade's Beginning (short story) Blade's Honor Blade's Destiny The Blade’s Shadow (Coming 2019) less

A young queen and a freed slave will make their destiny together. (Blade’s Destiny Part 2) When a queen rejected a thousand years of tradition and freed a slave and elevated him to a position of great power, it was only the beginning of their strange destiny. As Crown Princess Asharru and her sacred Blade, Tirigan, seek to eradicate the corruption at the heart of the Gryphon Court, they are met with resistance from many noble Houses... moreA young queen and a freed slave will make their destiny together. (Blade’s Destiny Part 2) When a queen rejected a thousand years of tradition and freed a slave and elevated him to a position of great power, it was only the beginning of their strange destiny. As Crown Princess Asharru and her sacred Blade, Tirigan, seek to eradicate the corruption at the heart of the Gryphon Court, they are met with resistance from many noble Houses. But the greatest danger still lurkers in the shadows, for some traitors aren’t as dead as Queen and Blade might hope. Asharru and Tirigan are too determined to allow their enemies to force them to stop. While there is no guarantee they’ll survive to rule together, one thing is certain—they’ll love each other in this life or the next. Author’s note: While the other books in the series can be read as standalones, Blade’s Destiny & The Blade’s Shadow are a continuing story and must be read in order. less

There is a price for pillaging the temple of a goddess... Hillalum is destined to become a king unlike any other before him, for the Goddess Ishtar has endowed him with a special gift—he is the first gryphon capable of taking on human form. Amata, a humble shepherdess, wishes only to live a peaceful life until raiders attack her village and kill her father and brother. A consuming need for revenge soon arises from that day... moreThere is a price for pillaging the temple of a goddess... Hillalum is destined to become a king unlike any other before him, for the Goddess Ishtar has endowed him with a special gift—he is the first gryphon capable of taking on human form. Amata, a humble shepherdess, wishes only to live a peaceful life until raiders attack her village and kill her father and brother. A consuming need for revenge soon arises from that day. When King Hillalum’s goddess orders him to watch over a human shepherdess, he thinks he’ll find the sheep more interesting than the woman, but once he meets Amata, he soon understands the full scope of his deity’s plans. Ishtar wishes to transform Amata into the first of her Avenging Blades—a sacred warrior born into the world when danger stalks the line of the gryphon kings. But before Amata and Hillalum can complete the ritual to unleash the fierce magic of a goddess forged Blade, they must first win each other’s hearts. Only then will they possess a power great enough to rid their land of the raiders. ***First Queen of the Gryphons is a fantasy romance and part of the Ishtar's Legacy series. It can be read as a complete standalone novel.*** less