The Emperor of Evening Stars by Laura Thalassa (The Bargainers, 3 of 4)

Before he was the Bargainer, before he was the King of Night, Desmond Flynn was nobody. The bastard son of a scribe, born to a weak mother in a lowly city, cursed with little magic, and destined to marry a slave in a realm that measured worth in power. He learned early to hide everything — his truths, his pain, his potential — from the world around him and from himself. Amazon

Then fate took everything he had left. What followed was a quest for revenge that would carry Des across the full breadth of the fae world, through haunted realms, treacherous bargains, and encounters that would test and ultimately forge the man readers know from The Bargainers series. Between those threads of fate, the business of bargains, and a centuries-long search for his mortal soulmate, this is how a broken boy becomes a legend.

The Emperor of Evening Stars is the essential companion to The Bargainers, told entirely from Des’s perspective. Fans of the series will find it reshapes what they think they know. New readers are advised to read Rhapsodic and A Strange Hymn first — but once you’ve met Des through Callie’s eyes, this romantasy novella is the obvious next stop.

Contains dark fantasy elements, violence, and mature themes throughout. For readers 18+.

Tropes: Morally Grey MMC · Fae Romance · Anti-Hero · Revenge · Origin Story · Dark Fantasy · Companion Novel · Paranormal Romance