The Broken Bonds Series by Olena Nikitin

She was broken, but even a shattered blade can kill. .. Tormented by grief and powerless after the loss of the men who anchored her magic, Annika fakes her death, seeking refuge in a secluded town. For years, she hides her identity until a chance encounter with a dragon exposes her unique power to the Lord Commander of the Dragon Riders. Even though she escapes, a yearning for a soul-deep connection with the magnificent beast haunts her dreams... moreShe was broken, but even a shattered blade can kill. .. Tormented by grief and powerless after the loss of the men who anchored her magic, Annika fakes her death, seeking refuge in a secluded town. For years, she hides her identity until a chance encounter with a dragon exposes her unique power to the Lord Commander of the Dragon Riders. Even though she escapes, a yearning for a soul-deep connection with the magnificent beast haunts her dreams. When the commander tracks her down, his touch rekindles her crippled magic making her question all she knows. He claims she is his ultimate weapon and plans to bond her to his dark fae necromancer—but Annika is done being controlled. When vampiric ghosts attack, she takes fate into her own hands, choosing to bind herself to the dragon. Hunted by the Lich King and torn between the commander, who ignites her magic, and the necromancer, who tames its roaring inferno, Annika forges herself into the weapon she was destined to be. However, the dragon’s anchor is not enough when impending war and betrayal sets her world ablaze. Even if she sacrifices her soul to take another, can one conduit mage save a failing kingdom? ------------------------------------------. A fantasy with adult characters for readers seeking a unique blend of Epic Fantasy and why choose romance. If you like an intricate plot with detailed world-building infused with Slavic mythology and dusted with the slow-burn spice of unconventional pairings, this is the book for you. The series contains adult M/F content, and further in the series, you will find M/F/M and M/M pairings, as well as coarse language and injury detail. Suitable for readers 18+. less

She set the world ablaze… and paid the ultimate price. Every prison has a weakness, and Annika must find it before the enemy bends her to his will. But time is a luxury she no longer has, and freedom demands a cost few would dare to pay. As treacherous alliances shift, everything she knows unravels before her eyes. The Barrier is broken. The king is dead... moreShe set the world ablaze… and paid the ultimate price. Every prison has a weakness, and Annika must find it before the enemy bends her to his will. But time is a luxury she no longer has, and freedom demands a cost few would dare to pay. As treacherous alliances shift, everything she knows unravels before her eyes. The Barrier is broken. The king is dead. And war has come to the kingdom… but how do you fight Death itself? The gripping conclusion to The Cursed Bonds duology, where Annika’s fate—and the destiny of her kingdom—hangs by a thread. ---------------------------------------------------------. Oath of War is a slow-burn, second-chance, forced-proximity high fantasy with a complex magic system and Slavic mythology-inspired world-building. It is dark romantasy with fae, mages, and dragon riders, and no choosing required. less