Books by Antonia Aquilante

Second son of an earl and cousin to the Crown Prince, Griffen has worked hard to forge a career in diplomacy for the principality of Tournai, but he never expected his diplomatic skills would be necessary for a problem so personal to him and his family.A delegation from the mysterious kingdom of Ivria has come to Tournai to make sure the secret of their people-the magical Talent allowing them to change into dragons-and therefore their kingdom itself remain safe. The delegation is concerned for Corentin, an Ivrian, and the man Griffen''s older brother is soon to marry.The Ivrians seem to want to drag Corentin back to Ivria for the offense of revealing their secret, but Griffen refuses to let it happen. His determination puts him into contact-and conflict-with Kirill, a negotiator for the king of Ivria who possesses the dragon Talent himself. The two clash and connect, getting closer and pulling away as they try to negotiate the needs of their people and an unwanted attraction between themselves. However, just as trust might be growing between them, a plot is uncovered and a member of the Ivrian delegation murdered. Griffen and Kirill must discover who is behind both for the safety of their countries and the people they love...and for a chance to be together.

Savarin honed his Talent through years of study, and to achieve his goal of becoming the most powerful and accomplished sorcerer in Tournai, he made magic his life. Among the wealthy and noble circles he moves in, no one would suspect the handsome, refined, arrogant sorcerer''s humble beginnings-which is how Savarin prefers it. He wants to be seen only as the man he''s made himself. When Tournai''s princes task Savarin with studying and strengthening the spells that protect the principality from magical attack, he is more than happy to do so. The spells are complex, centuries old, and exactly the type of puzzle Savarin is eager to solve. But to his annoyance, the princes insist Loriot accompany him on his journey.Second son of a minor noble family, Loriot worked his way up the ranks of the royal guard to captain with single-minded determination and takes pride in his service to the crown. He must obey the prince''s orders to protect Savarin, despite believing his skills would be best used elsewhere and his wariness of magic. UnTalented himself, Loriot has learned not only the benefits of magic but also its potential for harm-and how to counter it. He still believes it''s best to avoid most magic entirely, which is difficult when he''s tasked with playing guard to a powerful sorcerer.Loriot and Savarin clash repeatedly during their journey, but the simmering tension between them doesn''t only stem from their work, and passion develops into feelings neither expected. But Savarin must still secure Tournai''s magical barrier, and his only solution will endanger both him and the royal family.

Prince Edmund of Thalassa and Prince Arden of Aither are eagerly anticipating their upcoming wedding, but the danger to their kingdom hasn't lessened. They have a plan, but they won't be able to carry it out alone: they need a strong wielder of each Element, whom they can trust implicitly, to carry out the magic.Rhys is a commoner and wielder of Earth magic. He and his sister have made a living from the use of their magic for years and have become highly respected in scholarly circles, though he prefers a more simple life with his plants. When a message from Prince Arden reaches them asking for their help, they don't hesitate. They stop only to request that Gaz, a strong Fire wielder and the man Rhys has long been enamored of, accompany them on the journey to Thalassa's royal palace.What no one knows is that Gaz was once known as Prince Gareth of Thalassa and is Edmund's younger brother, long believed dead. He fled his home after his Fire Affinity made itself known and put him in danger, and he had no intention of ever going back. But he can't keep himself from going to his brother's aid, despite the risk of discovery and of the weight of his secrets potentially crushing his fledgling relationship with Rhys.Working against time, they must find a way to come together in a magical working the likes of which none of them has ever imagined, or their homelands will surely burn.

Faelen, cousin to the prince and son of a diplomat, has finally come home to Tournai after years away. The pull to return was almost tangible, and the sense of rightness at being back is absolute. He wants nothing more than to put down roots and build a life among family while pursuing his linguistic studies. Becoming involved in magic meant to protect Tournai isn't part of his plans…but falling in love is even more unexpected and unfamiliar, but he finds himself doing just that as his friendship with Maxen deepens into something more.Maxen, second son of a wealthy merchant family, longs to leave Tournai and see everywhere he can. All his life, he's found places on maps and dreamed, planning out routes to get to them. For now, he's tied to Tournai's capital city by family obligations and his position in their shipping business. Someday, though, he'll be able to travel. His sudden attraction to Faelen shocks him, but their friendship soon becomes a necessary part of his life. Love, however, has no place in his plans, especially not love for a royal cousin with secrets who wants nothing more than to stay in one place.For Faelen and Maxen to build something real between them, they must resolve their differences, but when magic goes awry and all Faelen's secrets are revealed, will Maxen remain at his side?