Prince of Soot and Shadow by Rochelle Hart

Light and shadows tangle in a land scarred by dragonfire and lies. Liora Wynne is an Akhen guard with light magic at her fingertips. Rivan Latrona is a cynical smuggler who spends his life cloaked in shadows, haunting the tunnels under Tinuvai. They should be mortal enemies, but a desperate prison break forces them into a reluctant alliance, navigating a fractured world where the secrets of the past carry a brutal price. Together, they must survive the shifting politics and ruined archaeology of a fallen kingdom, racing to save themselves from both the lethal Dragon King of Gwynth Draig and the ruthless High General of Akhe. As the danger closes in and their boundaries blur, Liora must decide: is the shadow-wielding smuggler her savior, or is he the very darkness she's been running from? *** Prince of Soot and Shadow is set in an immersive fantasy world featuring a fallen kingdom deeply inspired by ancient Etruscan archaeology, religion, and culture. Read more