Starian Cycle Series by Iris Foxglove, Ana Hansen

In the court of Staria, mercy is rarely a blessing…Sabre de Valois is the last of his line. Saved from the gallows while his family hangs for treason, Sabre is given the chance to pay off their debt and clear his family name. To do so, he must serve as a courtesan in the pleasure district, but the only House willing to take him in and risk the disfavor of the king is the House of Onyx, which caters to the darker desires of the Starian noble elite... moreIn the court of Staria, mercy is rarely a blessing…Sabre de Valois is the last of his line. Saved from the gallows while his family hangs for treason, Sabre is given the chance to pay off their debt and clear his family name. To do so, he must serve as a courtesan in the pleasure district, but the only House willing to take him in and risk the disfavor of the king is the House of Onyx, which caters to the darker desires of the Starian noble elite. There, he finds his masochism is an asset, the courtesans are kinder than the nobles of the Starian court, and that he cannot help but be inexorably drawn to the owner of the House of Onyx, Laurent de Rue.Lord Laurent de Rue knows that love is dangerous. Abandoned in the pleasure district with no memory of his past, Laurent clawed his way to notoriety and earned his title through cunning and skill. He has seen love ruin the lives and ambitions of those he passed on his way to the top, and he has no intention of letting himself fall prey to the same mistakes. Yet he can’t stop himself from growing closer to Sabre de Valois, who loves so earnestly and so completely that even Laurent’s steel will is starting to break.But Sabre has secrets of his own, and when the machinations of the court threaten to put Sabre in danger, Laurent will have to decide whether he will risk it all for love, or let Sabre de Valois slip through his fingers.(Please note: The Traitor’s Mercy is an m/m dark fantasy novel, set in a fictional world where the kink aspect is not intended as a representation of real-life BDSM practices or dynamics.Please be advised that while this title features a happy ending, it contains darker elements that some readers may find uncomfortable. It is intended for adult, mature readers only. ) less

The coronation of King Adrien de Guillory is fast approaching, but there’s one problem: The crown of Staria is missing. Captain Ferrin Leonhart only has a few clues to go by; A young thief caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, rumors of a man in a green cloak, a city guard captain who knows too much… and Silver, the royal tailor and former thief. Determined to prove he's left his old life far behind, Silver offers his assistance to help Ferrin find the culprit.. moreThe coronation of King Adrien de Guillory is fast approaching, but there’s one problem: The crown of Staria is missing. Captain Ferrin Leonhart only has a few clues to go by; A young thief caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, rumors of a man in a green cloak, a city guard captain who knows too much… and Silver, the royal tailor and former thief. Determined to prove he's left his old life far behind, Silver offers his assistance to help Ferrin find the culprit...after all, no one knows how a thief operates better than someone who used to be one. And it doesn't hurt that he's been quietly pining after the handsome guard captain for years, either. Ferrin has always chosen his duty to the crown over his desires, but now he finds himself drawn to the clever, excitable Silver as they work together to try and recover the priceless artifact. But with enemies lurking in the shadows and the coronation only weeks away, they'll need all their wits about them to recover what was lost...and celebrate what they've found in each other.(This novella is a published version of a story first posted to Patreon for House of Onyx tier members. It includes a bonus scene with Emile/Bazyli, also previously published as a Patreon bonus.) less

A Starian folktale comes to life…Eli was hanged as a traitor and buried in a pauper’s field, only to be brought back to life by the king of the Wild Hunt. Placed under a curse until he recovers the king’s missing sword, Eli wanders the countryside alone. When he finds the man who stole the sword—a shapeshifting trickster named Rey—Eli is thrust back into the world he left behind... moreA Starian folktale comes to life…Eli was hanged as a traitor and buried in a pauper’s field, only to be brought back to life by the king of the Wild Hunt. Placed under a curse until he recovers the king’s missing sword, Eli wanders the countryside alone. When he finds the man who stole the sword—a shapeshifting trickster named Rey—Eli is thrust back into the world he left behind. Eli and Rey return to Duciel, where Eli was hanged five years before, to find the only man who can retrieve the sword and break Eli’s curse: Eli’s brother, Sabre de Valois. less

Devon Chastain has always been angry. He burns with it, is consumed by it, lashing out at friend and foe alike and securing his reputation as a difficult noble son for all to see. Now that his family has betrayed the crown, Devon is a mess of emotion he can’t control, and he finds himself discovered by none other than Sebastien d’Hiver, the mad duke who, rumor says, once killed his entire family and sold his soul to a demon.He will find, soon enough, that only the last half of the rumor is true... moreDevon Chastain has always been angry. He burns with it, is consumed by it, lashing out at friend and foe alike and securing his reputation as a difficult noble son for all to see. Now that his family has betrayed the crown, Devon is a mess of emotion he can’t control, and he finds himself discovered by none other than Sebastien d’Hiver, the mad duke who, rumor says, once killed his entire family and sold his soul to a demon.He will find, soon enough, that only the last half of the rumor is true. Sebastien d’Hiver is a man given over to the dark that is all he or his demon has ever known, and it isn’t until he drags Devon to the eerie country manor he calls home that he realizes that there’s more to life than pain. Soon, all three of them, noble, traitor, and demon alike, will find in each other the light they’ve all been missing.(Please note: This book takes place in a "biological imperative BDSM universe" in which everyone is born either a submissive or a dominant, and is compelled to satisfy those urges. It does not intend to represent real-life BDSM practices between consenting adults, and should be read only for entertainment purposes.) less

Adrien de Guillory may be the heir to the throne of Staria, but no one in court believes that the submissive, meek-minded prince will ever be king. What they don’t know is that Adrien is hardly the meek, shy creature he pretends to be and that he has his own plans for the future. To see those plans through, Adrien embarks on a journey to Mislia, the land of his mother’s ancestors, to seek an answer to controlling his magic of foresight... moreAdrien de Guillory may be the heir to the throne of Staria, but no one in court believes that the submissive, meek-minded prince will ever be king. What they don’t know is that Adrien is hardly the meek, shy creature he pretends to be and that he has his own plans for the future. To see those plans through, Adrien embarks on a journey to Mislia, the land of his mother’s ancestors, to seek an answer to controlling his magic of foresight.The one thing Adrien’s visions don’t predict is Isiodore de Mortain, his father’s confidante and the subject of Adrien’s long-standing, deeply embarrassing infatuation. Isiodore intercepts Adrien on his way to Mislia. But it’s too late to turn back—the two of them are now stranded on foreign soil, forced to rely on each other in order to get home in one piece. With Isiodore set on keeping Adrien safe and Adrien determined to become the most troublesome prince in Starian history, a storm is brewing over Mislia...one that will surely sweep both of them out into uncharted waters. less

Laurent and Sabre's story continues...All Laurent de Rue wants to do is live a peaceful life with his husband, Sabre, and support his little sister Rose’s rise to stardom on the Starian stage. But learning the truth of his heritage, and rediscovering his magic, brings a whole new set of problems...most notably the Archmage of Mislia, who is determined to find the apostates who fled his wrath all those years ago... moreLaurent and Sabre's story continues...All Laurent de Rue wants to do is live a peaceful life with his husband, Sabre, and support his little sister Rose’s rise to stardom on the Starian stage. But learning the truth of his heritage, and rediscovering his magic, brings a whole new set of problems...most notably the Archmage of Mislia, who is determined to find the apostates who fled his wrath all those years ago. He’s willing to use any means necessary to track down Laurent, and that includes cursing his own son and heir, Hektor Drakos, who fled Mislia with Prince Adrien and is now all alone in a city that bears no love for his kind.But Laurent soon discovers the dark-eyed mage and his clever fox demon is no threat...but a young man in need of healing and a place to hide from his terrifying, power-hungry father and his father’s demon -- a faceless creature who can travel vast distances through mirrors. Despite the danger, Laurent’s never been one to turn away someone in need of protection. As he and Sabre make a place for Hektor in their unconventional family, they’re besieged by old enemies and new threats alike, and Laurent will have to harness the true strength of his magical gift to protect the people he loves. less

"It's inevitable. We love, it burns us, we love again. Or we don't, and we wither on the vine." Emile de Guillory swore off love the night his wife died in his arms. Bazyli Drakos loves too deeply, despite what he stands to lose. The night of Prince Adrien's marriage to Isiodore de Mortain, Bazyli finds Emile poisoned in the royal gardens. He takes him back to his home in the lower city, where Bazyli and his silent demon nurse Emile back from the brink of death... more"It's inevitable. We love, it burns us, we love again. Or we don't, and we wither on the vine." Emile de Guillory swore off love the night his wife died in his arms. Bazyli Drakos loves too deeply, despite what he stands to lose. The night of Prince Adrien's marriage to Isiodore de Mortain, Bazyli finds Emile poisoned in the royal gardens. He takes him back to his home in the lower city, where Bazyli and his silent demon nurse Emile back from the brink of death. What begins as an uneasy alliance turns into something more as Bazyli and Emile work to uncover the assassin who poisoned Emile that night--an assassin who can hide behind any face, even those Emile trusts the most. But can Emile learn to open his heart again, and will anyone be waiting for him if he does? less

Marius Chastain has spent his entire life running: first from his abusive father, and more recently from the king's justice after his father's failed coup. With no allies willing to help him, Marius attempts to flee Staria for the safety of the Diabolos Islands, where he can start a new life far removed from his treasonous past. But his desperate flight is interrupted by Ranger, a mercenary who has taken a contract to escort Marius to Duciel to answer for his crimes against the Crown... moreMarius Chastain has spent his entire life running: first from his abusive father, and more recently from the king's justice after his father's failed coup. With no allies willing to help him, Marius attempts to flee Staria for the safety of the Diabolos Islands, where he can start a new life far removed from his treasonous past. But his desperate flight is interrupted by Ranger, a mercenary who has taken a contract to escort Marius to Duciel to answer for his crimes against the Crown.Misthotoi are renowned the world over for refusing to be swayed from their contracts, and Ranger is no exception. A man of his word, Ranger is terrifyingly competent and a skilled hunter … but also good-natured, kind, and generous. While nothing Marius can offer will change his mind, he treats Marius with unexpected gentleness on their journey to Duciel.Ranger joined the Misthotoi in order to find and conquer Death as part of a Thalassan coming-of-age ritual. He's no stranger to the risks of the job, but as he brings Marius to his contact in Duciel, Ranger finds himself drawn to the disgraced noble. Soon, their growing bond threatens even his commitment to his vows. And when the hunter becomes prey, the two men will have to use all their cunning to outfox their enemies and find a future where they can be safe … together. less