Agents of the Crown (Buroker)

After ten years at war, Jev Dharrow looks forward to hanging up his sword, relaxing with a cool mug of ale, and forgetting that the love of his life married another man while he was gone. But when his ship sails into port, a beautiful woman wearing the garb of an inquisitor from one of the religious orders waits to arrest him. His crime? He's accused of stealing an ancient artifact with the power to start another war. Jev would gladly hand over the artifact to stop more suffering, but he has no idea where it is or even what it looks like. The inquisitor woman definitely has the wrong person. Inquisitor Zenia Cham grew up with nothing, but she has distinguished herself as one of the most capable law enforcers in the city, and she's next in line to become archmage of the temple. All she has to do is find the Eye of Truth, and her superiors are certain that Jev has it. He tries to charm her with his twinkling eyes and easy smile, but she's not letting any man get between her and her dreams. Especially not a thief. If Jev can't convince Zenia they're on the same side, find the artifact, and clear his name, his homecoming will turn into a jail sentence. Or worse.

Recently appointed Crown Agents Jev and Zenia must prove that they're worthy of their new jobs and young King Targyon's trust. Their mission? To research the strange "disease of the blood" that killed Targyon's three cousins and left him unexpectedly ruling an entire kingdom at barely twenty years of age. There are just a few problems. If someone was responsible for creating that disease, that person could still be in the city, forcing Zenia and Jev to deal with someone very smart and very dangerous. Meanwhile, since Targyon has the same blood flowing through his veins that his cousins had, he's at risk of becoming the next victim. And as it so happens, Jev shares some of that blood too. Might he become a target before Targyon? When Jev and Zenia signed on for this job, they didn't realize how deadly it might become.

Crown Agent Jev Dharrow's good dwarf friend Cutter is missing, as is the city's master gem cutter. Jev doesn't know who would want them, but he's determined to find out. He hopes his fellow agent, Zenia, can help him locate the missing dwarves. Even though she rejected his offer of a romantic relationship because of their status differences, they have become good friends, and she has years of experience finding criminals. However, this kidnapping is anything but simple. Jev and Zenia find themselves entangled in a snarled plot that threatens the entire kingdom while making them realize their true feelings for each other. If they can't rescue the dwarves, deter an invasion, and stop an explosive plot to destroy half the city, they may lose everything they love. Including each other.

Jev Dharrow is trying to convince his father to cancel his arranged marriage so he can wed Zenia, the woman he loves. But when elven assassins arrive in the city, all his personal problems must be set aside. They are after his good friend, Lornysh, an elf who has saved Jev's life a dozen times over the years. The assassins consider Lornysh to be a traitor to their people, and they'll kill anyone who stands at his side. They wield great magic as well as their swords, and they have the power to destroy half the city as they chase after their target. With the arranged marriage looming and elven assassins on the warpath, Jev is running out of time to save his friend-and his own future.

Now that Jev is no longer obligated to marry a manipulative noblewoman, Zenia can finally pursue a relationship with him. But there's something else she must deal with first. She's learned that the magical dragon-tear gem she wears around her neck is linked to a living dragon, one that is being held prisoner and tortured. Zenia owes her life several times over to the creature. She must set aside personal desires and lead a team to the distant and dangerous continent where the dragon is imprisoned. But it took someone-or something-very powerful to capture such a great creature in the first place. Zenia, Jev, and their friends may not have the magic or might necessary to free their scaled ally. If they fail, the dragon will be enslaved forever by a cruel master, and Zenia and Jev may never see their homeland again.