The Handler’s Gambit by Ingrid Moon

A young officer undermines a warlord's conquest to free himself and a girl he barely knows. Play the game. Murder the innocent. Don't let them see you sweat. Commander Boone's treacherous secret could save thousands of lives—if he could only escape from the murderous warlord who employs him. He wears his game face while following orders to destroy enemy fleets and handles a reckless assassin with elemental powers. Behind the scenes, he is undermining the warlord's pursuit of an innocent rival. The duplicity and the horrors are taking their toll. Boone wants out. In a bold gambit, he crafts a plan to escape. But his superiors might be catching on, and the plan is not without its own horrors. With everything working against him, including the woman he thought was his salvation, he may not live long enough to execute it. "Absolutely epic action with a tug at the heartstrings.” Space Battles | Biological “Magic” | Ground Assaults | Betrayal | Unlikely Allies The Handler's Gambit is a dark, character-driven thrill ride across the galaxy, where the sacrifices made for freedom clash with the indomitable human spirit. Book 1 in The Saxen Saga series