The Prince's Assassin Series by Ariana Nash

From the author who brought you the award-winning Silk & Steel series comes a new dark MM high fantasy. "Your love is worthless, it's your hate I need." ~Prince Vasili CavilleWhen King Talos Caville surrendered the war to the elves, soldier Nikolas Yazdan vowed never to serve the royals again. He said the same to the prince who tried to buy his loyalty, and learned the Cavilles don’t take no for an answer... moreFrom the author who brought you the award-winning Silk & Steel series comes a new dark MM high fantasy. "Your love is worthless, it's your hate I need." ~Prince Vasili CavilleWhen King Talos Caville surrendered the war to the elves, soldier Nikolas Yazdan vowed never to serve the royals again. He said the same to the prince who tried to buy his loyalty, and learned the Cavilles don’t take no for an answer. Whipped for his insolence, Nikolas is forced into slavery in a palace full of vicious, brutal royals. And Prince Vasili Caville is the worst of all. Malicious and cruel, the prince is more viper than man, and someone inside the palace wants him dead. Nikolas would kill the prince himself if not for one thing: Julian, the prince’s personal guard and Niko’s light in the dark. If Nikolas doesn’t submit to Prince Vasili and discover who is plotting against him, Julian will suffer. But there’s more wrong in the palace than just the prince. The king is on his deathbed, the ferocious elves are creeping closer to the great city of Loreen, and madness stalks the hallways. There’s poison in the Caville court, and if Nikolas doesn’t discover the real reason Prince Vasili tried to buy him with a bag of coin, the palace, the city, and everything he loves, will be lost forever. King of the Dark is the first book in the slow burn, enemies-to-lovers Prince’s Assassin series. A gay Game of Thrones with a hint of Witcher thrown in, there are triggers, including but not limited to: reference to past abuse, attempted rape, dubious consent, reference to incest, torture, drug use and PTSD. High heat sexual content. The Prince’s Assassin is for 18+ only. less

"Know your place, Nikolas." "Under the heel of your boot, Your Highness?"After a terrible inferno destroys the Caville palace, and with the people of Loreen turned against him, Prince Vasili is left with no choice but to flee his ancestral home, leaving Amir to proclaim himself king. But the prince's life isn't the only one left in ashes. King Amir has not forgotten Nikolas Yazdan—the butcher, a lord's bastard son, and Vasili's favorite pet... more"Know your place, Nikolas." "Under the heel of your boot, Your Highness?"After a terrible inferno destroys the Caville palace, and with the people of Loreen turned against him, Prince Vasili is left with no choice but to flee his ancestral home, leaving Amir to proclaim himself king. But the prince's life isn't the only one left in ashes. King Amir has not forgotten Nikolas Yazdan—the butcher, a lord's bastard son, and Vasili's favorite pet. Nikolas doesn't fear Amir, but the new king has discovered the Caville curse can be wielded like a weapon, and he has Nikolas in his crosshairs. The exotic south is Vasili's and Niko's only refuge. A land of pirates and thieves, of mystery and magic. A land of opportunity for a manipulative prince and his reluctant assassin.But just as Nikolas begins to believe Vasili might be worth fighting for—that Loreen can be saved with Vasili on the throne—the dark flame trapped in the royal bloodline unravels its ancient bonds.One prince must control the unrelenting power desperate for its escape. The other must die. Niko thought he knew which prince he could trust, but he's been fooled before and as Vasili's true motives are revealed, Niko finds himself at the mercy of Prince Vasili once more. Only this time, there is more than love at stake. The fate of the world rests on Niko discovering the truth about the flame, about the cursed Cavilles, and his place in their doomed destiny.Prince’s Assassin series is a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers saga. A gay Game of Thrones with a hint of Witcher thrown in, there are triggers, including but not limited to: reference to past abuse, attempted rape, dubious consent, reference to incest, torture, drug use and PTSD. High heat sexual content. The Prince’s Assassin is for 18+ only. Reading order:King of the DarkReign of DarknessCurse of the Dark PrinceThe Cottage (novella) less

With the powerful cities of Seran and Loreen having fallen to elves, and the dark flame escaping its bonds, Prince Vasili Caville’s plight has never been more desperate. But for the first time in his lifetime, he’s not alone. With the formidable Nikolas Yazdan at his side, not all is lost. But Nikolas has changed. The Yazdan legacy has caught up with him, and as strong and stubborn as he is, nobody can resist the flame’s call for long... moreWith the powerful cities of Seran and Loreen having fallen to elves, and the dark flame escaping its bonds, Prince Vasili Caville’s plight has never been more desperate. But for the first time in his lifetime, he’s not alone. With the formidable Nikolas Yazdan at his side, not all is lost. But Nikolas has changed. The Yazdan legacy has caught up with him, and as strong and stubborn as he is, nobody can resist the flame’s call for long. For all his words of honor and sacrifice, Vasili fears he’s losing Nikolas, and with him any chance of defeating the elves for good. Love, power, control. To save both himself and Nikolas, Vasili must surrender it all and embrace everything a Caville is destined to be. For beneath the broken palace, hidden inside its heart, lies the answer to everything. And all it will cost, is love. The Prince’s Assassin series comes to its explosive conclusion in Curse of the Dark Prince, the third and final book. Reading order:King of the DarkReign of DarknessCurse of the Dark PrinceThe Cottage (novella) less

Vasili has a new life and a new name. Niko just wants his prince to be happy. But when has Vasili made anything easy? * The more Niko tries to to carve out a perfect life, the more Vasili pulls away. Niko has one last chance to save them, one surprise that will cement their love forever or have it crumble to dust. * Vasili knows Nikolas is lying. If that weren't insulting enough, he also understands why... moreVasili has a new life and a new name. Niko just wants his prince to be happy. But when has Vasili made anything easy? * The more Niko tries to to carve out a perfect life, the more Vasili pulls away. Niko has one last chance to save them, one surprise that will cement their love forever or have it crumble to dust. * Vasili knows Nikolas is lying. If that weren't insulting enough, he also understands why. What can he offer Nikolas, but nightmares and trauma? Nikolas needs a good man for his good heart. As much as Vasili desperately wants to keep Nikolas close, he also knows he doesn't deserve him. But how to tell the only man he's ever truly loved that it's over? *** The Cottage is a romantic 30k word novella that takes place after the main events in the trilogy. It cannot be read as a standalone and should be read after Curse of the Dark Prince. There is 'misunderstanding angst', but The Cottage ends in a HEA. less