Kingmakers Series by Jaye McKenna

A street rat taken in by the infamous Khalshir Guild and ruthlessly trained as a spy and assassin, Rio thinks he’s ready for anything. When he balks at performing his first assassination, his mentor is furious, but gives him a chance to redeem himself: a simple bodyguard assignment, protecting the son of a high-ranking noble.Second son of one of the most successful businessmen in the kingdom of Tallin, Dani Jherek never expected to become his father’s heir... moreA street rat taken in by the infamous Khalshir Guild and ruthlessly trained as a spy and assassin, Rio thinks he’s ready for anything. When he balks at performing his first assassination, his mentor is furious, but gives him a chance to redeem himself: a simple bodyguard assignment, protecting the son of a high-ranking noble.Second son of one of the most successful businessmen in the kingdom of Tallin, Dani Jherek never expected to become his father’s heir. After a suspicious accident leaves his twin dead, a grief-stricken Dani finds himself struggling not only to fill his brother’s shoes, but to protect a dangerous secret that, if revealed, could mean his execution.Guarding Dani turns out to be far from simple. Instead of a spoiled, pampered brat, Rio finds himself watching over a beautiful, miserable young man struggling to survive in a dangerous world he doesn’t understand. As Rio spends more time with Dani, he finds himself caught up in a tangled web of conflicting loyalties. When Dani learns the true nature of his father’s business, everything changes, and Rio is forced to make an impossible choice: his loyalty to Guild and family, or his growing feelings for his charge.~67,000 words less

After betraying his oath to the Khalshir Guild, Coryn is expecting to be sentenced to a painful execution. Instead, he’s sent out on an assassination job designed to test his loyalty. When the test demands a moral sacrifice Coryn can’t bring himself to make, he flees, only to end up in captivity with two outlanders.Kai is determined to save his teenage cousin Adrian from an abusive father... moreAfter betraying his oath to the Khalshir Guild, Coryn is expecting to be sentenced to a painful execution. Instead, he’s sent out on an assassination job designed to test his loyalty. When the test demands a moral sacrifice Coryn can’t bring himself to make, he flees, only to end up in captivity with two outlanders.Kai is determined to save his teenage cousin Adrian from an abusive father. Before he can come up with a plan, their long-lost grandfather kidnaps them and whisks them away to another world. Once there, Kai learns that Adrian possesses a power that makes him a valuable commodity, and that protecting him may be far more dangerous than facing down his drug-addicted uncle.With the Guild hot on his trail, Coryn has no intention of getting entangled with his fellow captives, but when a chance for escape comes, he finds himself unable to abandon the pair to certain death. Reluctantly, Coryn takes Kai and Adrian under his wing, all the while struggling to deny his growing feelings for Kai.Can Coryn evade the Guild long enough to help the cousins escape their grandfather and find a mythe-weaver powerful enough send them home? And if he succeeds, will his heart survive losing the man he’s beginning to care for? less