Tyrone Ivey

Clio has everything she needs to end King Ergondy's reign forever... except the opportunity. Now she's fighting to stay on top as King Ergondy uses a "glistening powder shortage" and an intensified Forever War to justify changing all the rules. Clio knows that if the king dismisses her, she'll never go home. Instead she'll live the rest of her life in the dungeons, feeding his insatiable appetite with her powerful feelings. Clio must survive to the bitter end, and even then, that might not be enough.

Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv, the orc barbarian, cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen. However, her dreams of a fresh start filling mugs instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners, and a different kind of resolve.

All Princess Clio has wanted since she joined the Queen Trials was to find a way out of the competition before the killing round began. But when King Ergondy grants her wish, Clio learns more about the Forever War than she bargained for.