Ishtar's Legacy Series by Lisa Blackwood, May Sage, Raye Wagner, Bec McMaster, Izzy Shows, K.V. Adair, M.J. Haag, Meg Anne, Natalya Capello

Warrior. King’s confidant. Avenging blade of the Goddess Ishtar. Iltani asked to be none of these things. Yet fate does not ask permission when she weaves souls upon destiny’s loom. On the day of Iltani’s birth, an assassin tried and nearly succeeded in ending the line of the gryphon kings. Out of that bloodshed, an unbreakable bond was forged between child-king and goddess-chosen infant, and from that pivotal moment forward, Iltani was never farther from King Ditanu than his shadow... moreWarrior. King’s confidant. Avenging blade of the Goddess Ishtar. Iltani asked to be none of these things. Yet fate does not ask permission when she weaves souls upon destiny’s loom. On the day of Iltani’s birth, an assassin tried and nearly succeeded in ending the line of the gryphon kings. Out of that bloodshed, an unbreakable bond was forged between child-king and goddess-chosen infant, and from that pivotal moment forward, Iltani was never farther from King Ditanu than his shadow. Not until her training to become Ishtar’s Blade required her to leave. After four brutal years of training, Iltani now returns to court as Ishtar’s Blade and takes up her role of king’s shadow—a dangerous position in a court where the threat of another assassination is but a blade’s width away. But for the chance to stand at the side of her beloved king, she will endure the dangers of court intrigues, assassins, and political maneuverings. Author's Note: Ishtar's Blade is a Fantasy Romance loosely based on early Sumerian and Mesopotamian religion. Ishtar's Legacy Reading Order: Ishtar's Blade A Blade's Beginning (short story) Blade's Honor Blade's Destiny (coming later in 2018) less

The court of the gryphon king has ever been a dangerous and seductive place where Ishtar’s blessing is both the hot breath of passion and the cold kiss of steel.Journey to ancient Sumer, to the land of gryphons, lamassu, and anunnaki in these tales of fantasy and romance. If you like action-packed plots, rich world-building, tenaciously loyal heroines, noble gryphon shifter kings and swoon-worthy happily ever afters, the Ishtar's Legacy series is for you... moreThe court of the gryphon king has ever been a dangerous and seductive place where Ishtar’s blessing is both the hot breath of passion and the cold kiss of steel.Journey to ancient Sumer, to the land of gryphons, lamassu, and anunnaki in these tales of fantasy and romance. If you like action-packed plots, rich world-building, tenaciously loyal heroines, noble gryphon shifter kings and swoon-worthy happily ever afters, the Ishtar's Legacy series is for you .Ishtar’s Blade:As the childhood companion of King Ditanu, Iltani never doubted her place in either his kingdom or his heart. Then duty called her away to complete her training. Now, a woman grown and a sword-maiden to the goddess Ishtar, Iltani returns and takes up her sacred destiny to protect the royal line.But so much has changed.Ditanu most of all.The youth she knew is gone. A stoic, untouchable king now sits the throne.Does anything of their once deep bond survive?Iltani must swiftly find her place in a court where cunning governors plot treason, trusted advisers orchestrate deceptions, and noblewomen seek to beguile King Ditanu using methods both fair and foul. But the greatest threat of all is no mortal adversary. Ereshkigal, the Queen of the Underworld, desires to make Ditanu her consort and seize his kingdom for her own.A Blade's Beginning:After being freed from her prison cell by the King of the Gryphons, Enkara will endure the dangers of court intrigues and assassins to be united with the gryphon cub who kept her sane during the many years she spent in a dark dungeon. But if she doesn’t reach him in time, an assassin in the service of the Queen of the Underworld will steal away her only chance to save him. Blade's Honor: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. She is one of the Goddess Ishtar’s avenging blades, born into the world when danger stalks the royal line.This digital boxed set contains the first three stories in the Ishtar’s Legacy universe by Lisa Blackwood. Included in this set: Ishtar’s Blade (Book 1), A Blade's Beginning, (Book 1.5), and Blade’s Honor (Book 2). less

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 and when a young king dares to bring change, his life is cut short by an assassin’s blade. 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 and when a young king dares to bring change, his life is cut short by an assassin’s blade. 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 older 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 book one of their two part tale, but fear not, we’ll return to Ditanu, Iltani, Kuwari and Enkara later 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 loosely based on Sumerian mythology. It's part of the Ishtar's Legacy series. It can be read as a complete standalone novel.*** less

For a limited time, grab this anthology including eight new and exclusive fantasy standalones from bestselling authors. Thorns and Crowns by May SageNot every princess is destined for a happily ever after. Some must suffer, rise and rule.Before she was the cold, calculating unseelie queen, Shea was a young woman, once awoken in the middle of the night by guards, daggers in hands. Betrayed by her father, she’s forced to make her own way, and carve her destiny... moreFor a limited time, grab this anthology including eight new and exclusive fantasy standalones from bestselling authors. Thorns and Crowns by May SageNot every princess is destined for a happily ever after. Some must suffer, rise and rule.Before she was the cold, calculating unseelie queen, Shea was a young woman, once awoken in the middle of the night by guards, daggers in hands. Betrayed by her father, she’s forced to make her own way, and carve her destiny.Fallen by Raye WagnerAll of my expectations shattered the day my sister fell and my magîk changed. Zîvrüne, the magi prince I’d loved since childhood, didn’t become king. My sister didn’t heal the land. The two of them didn’t become bondmates. And I discovered family doesn’t mean fidelity, devotion definitely requires sacrifice, and love obeys no rules or laws—regardless of nature or magîk.Thief of Dreams by Bec McMasterSteal a magical relic from a dangerous fae prince? Easy. Escape without losing her heart? Zemira's about to discover why you should never underestimate the fae.The Proving by Izzy Shows and KV AdairFay only ever dreamed of becoming a full-fledged Unseelie--but some dreams cost more than you might think.The First Queen of the Gryphons by Lisa BlackwoodHillalum, a gryphon of royal blood, is the first of his kind capable of taking on human form. When his goddess orders him to watch over a human shepherdess, he thinks he’ll find the sheep more interesting than the woman until he learns Amata is much more than a simple herder.Disowned by MJ HaagMargaret Thoning walks away from everything she’s ever known to risk her heart and her life in a fight against a hidden foe determined to bring the kingdom of Drisdall to its knees.The Dreamer by Meg AnneKieran can walk away from everything he's ever known... Except for her.Nocturne by Natalya CapelloLorelei must face monsters and darkness in the depths of the Citadel of Night in order to claim the legacy of a legendary bard. She soon discovers that she's not the only one searching the ruins and that an ancient evil threatens to be awakened. less