Drums in the Rain by J.C. Owens

Can a deadly assassin hold on to a love he thought lost…?

Hredeen has been exiled from his emperor’s side, the only place he had found a home, friendship…love. Now after changing the course of the invasion of Bhantan, he faces an uncertain future. Unable to return to Anrodnes, he faces years of torture and isolation as his masters in the War Guild eradicate every precious memory he held of his former life with Emperor Taldan. But after meeting a rogue assassin, one who escaped from the War Guild itself, Hredeen has to make a choice. Respond to a summons by the War Guild for brutal retraining. Or take vital information back to Anrodnes, back where Emperor Taldan and Raine wait. The man he loves…and the man who is Taldan’s true Chosen…

Raine has done everything he can to be a good Chosen for the emperor, but he fears it is not enough. He longs for Taldan’s love, yet he worries that what Taldan and Hredeen had together is deeper and more powerful than he could ever offer. Taldan is consumed by Hredeen’s loss, his behavior sliding into something on the edge of darkness. Is it the magic of the Illumitae…or something even more dangerous? And what can Raine do to stop it?

The loss of Hredeen leaves a hole within Taldan’s heart, even though he was the one to exile the assassin. Yet he is beginning to love Raine, his Chosen, and attempts to put his entire energy into solidifying their bond. But with conspiracies, assassination threats, and unrest spreading across the lands, even that bond will be put to the test. The Illumitae holds secrets, and some of them may destroy everything he cherishes. Once, Taldan prided himself on his emotionless, logical detachment and the power of his mind. But now, the chaos within his heart is surging, and neither Raine nor Hredeen may be safe…