King's Shadow - Olena Nikitin

One Shadow to protect the Crown. One betrayal to tear the world apart.

Roksana's burden was watching her king ride to war, leaving her with an impossible task: guard the capital at any cost.

As the King's Shadow, she enforces his rule with forbidden magic and poisons that shift alliances overnight. Hidden behind the porcelain mask of the Deadly Nightshade, Roksana is the throne's most lethal secret-and she is committed to protecting the only man who ever touched her heart.

But a silent threat capable of shattering the realm is festering in the city's depths.

With King Reynard cut off by the tides of war and the court plotting a coup, Roksana must rely on the only family she has left: a fae courtesan who trades in whispers, a dwarf inventor whose genius uncovers the plot, and an assassin who always trusts her plans.

To save the kingdom and her king, Roksana must become the monster the world already believes her to be. She would rather lose her soul than the man she loves-and the family-she's fought to protect.

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Blending grit, passion and power play, this adult high fantasy romance delivers a morally grey competent heroine in her 30' with deadly secrets, a cursed king whose love language is obsession, and a slow burn enemies-to-lovers bond that burns into spice against the backdrop of a Slavic-inspired kingdom steeped in betrayal and dangerous magic.

A dual POV. Perfect for fans of Six of Crows and The Witcher