To Drown Among the Stars by L.K. Frost

In an unprecedented turn of events, Bastion emerges from his Trial of Knighthood a failure.

Certain the gods have abandoned him, he travels down the coast on a leave of absence, looking for solitude. Instead, he walks into trouble in the wake of a series of pirate attacks on seaside villages, where he meets Ulla, a deaf dragon-kin healer with secrets of her own.

Despite their initial, disastrous meeting, they’re drawn together by their mutual loneliness. Then, they discover the attacks aren’t random – they’re coordinated. The pirates are planning a large-scale attack on Moonwatch, the kingdom’s naval base, with the intent of stealing an ancient secret.

Together, Bastion and Ulla race to Moonwatch only to learn the commander has been drawn away by the attacks. Unable to deny his duty or his very nature, Bastion takes command of their diminished forces in the face of a pirate fleet armed with a mysterious weapon.

When Ulla is wounded, the world comes crashing down on Bastion and he must reveal his darkest secret to save her, even though it may mean losing her, after all.

This is a prequel that can be read as a standalone. It’s an action/adventure, slow-burn romantasy featuring knights, pirates and semi-aquatic dragon people. It will appeal to fans of The Legend of Zelda, Tamora Pierce’s Tortall books and Sabriel (but for adults)!