Darkened Skies Series by H.E. Bauman

Not a soldier. Not a prince. Not even a son. A weapon… Varojin Auris didn’t ask to be a prince. As the illegitimate child of the Helosian emperor, he was never meant for the world he grew up in, and he knows it. When his father enlists Varojin in the military two years before the service age, it’s clear he’s no longer welcome in the court. So, forced to follow the emperor’s orders, Varojin severs ties with his old life and sets off for Fort Ironwing... moreNot a soldier. Not a prince. Not even a son. A weapon… Varojin Auris didn’t ask to be a prince. As the illegitimate child of the Helosian emperor, he was never meant for the world he grew up in, and he knows it. When his father enlists Varojin in the military two years before the service age, it’s clear he’s no longer welcome in the court. So, forced to follow the emperor’s orders, Varojin severs ties with his old life and sets off for Fort Ironwing. Amid the ranks of junior soldiers, Varojin finds himself as unwelcome as he was at the palace—only this time, there are no rules protecting him from superiors who use far more force with him than on his peers. So when Varojin is offered the opportunity to leave basic training behind and join a highly specialized, secretive unit, he accepts. But the relief of being flanked by those who support him is tainted by a new the responsibility to take lives when duty calls. When a crisis reveals the full extent of Varojin’s powers, he fears he has finally become his father’s son. In the midst of destruction, the weary prince finds himself faced with a fight for the rubble of his past, or rebuild his life anew. less

A librarian with a secret. A prince looking for redemption. A dark discovery that will force them to confront their truths.Astrea Sovna is destined to die. As a Lightbringer, she’s expected to serve the Helosian government as a battlefield healer; but when the court seer—Astrea’s uncle—has a vision of her being killed in the line of duty, he forbids her to reveal her powers.Until now, Astrea has gone unnoticed as a junior librarian... moreA librarian with a secret. A prince looking for redemption. A dark discovery that will force them to confront their truths.Astrea Sovna is destined to die. As a Lightbringer, she’s expected to serve the Helosian government as a battlefield healer; but when the court seer—Astrea’s uncle—has a vision of her being killed in the line of duty, he forbids her to reveal her powers.Until now, Astrea has gone unnoticed as a junior librarian. But when she gets reassigned to a diplomatic project to strengthen ties between Helosia and one of its neighbors, she finds herself saddled with her past, in the form of returned war hero and her ex-best friend, Prince Varojin Auris.Forced to work together, Astrea soon learns that although Varojin has been out of her life for years, he’s still the kind, patient friend she remembers. As they navigate old friendships and imperial politics, the pair discovers that the mysterious shadows stalking the city are leaving a trail of murder victims in their wake. And when Astrea becomes a target, a dear friend gets caught in the crossfire…As Astrea and Varojin begin searching for answers, they realize there is much more to the emperor’s project than political niceties. If the shadows aren’t stopped, Astrea’s future—and the security of the entire continent—hangs in the balance. less

Whispers of truth often linger in darkness.After fleeing the Helosian Empire, Astrea and her friends follow the trail of clues north in search of the mystery-cloaked void mages known as the Paragon. Crossing the border into Novaria, the group finds the capital city on high alert after a string of murders.Just like in Kalama, the victims bear the mark of void magic—a clear display of brazenness as the shadows’ influence continues to grow across the continent... moreWhispers of truth often linger in darkness.After fleeing the Helosian Empire, Astrea and her friends follow the trail of clues north in search of the mystery-cloaked void mages known as the Paragon. Crossing the border into Novaria, the group finds the capital city on high alert after a string of murders.Just like in Kalama, the victims bear the mark of void magic—a clear display of brazenness as the shadows’ influence continues to grow across the continent.Determined to stop the killers and uncover the secrets of the Paragon, the group teams up with Novaria's ruler, the Grand Duchess Ysabel. But with conspiracies and deceit at every turn, Astrea begins to question everything she thought she knew—not just about the world, but about herself and her magic.Only one thing is clear: Astrea is being hunted. And this time, no one can save her. less