Shield and Shattered Cages — J.E. Neal

Emily Haydenshire is at the center of a world where magic can protect and bind... or rip the world apart. She is one of the Gifted. While her family has political ideals, Emily wants only to travel the world, competing in magical contests, and do so with Rainer at her side.Rainer Lawson lost it all seven years ago. His father, his place, his family. Now, as he's inducted into an elite magical squadron, he is finding hope again. His protective magic abilities make him strong enough to keep his childhood sweetheart, Emily, safe. Maybe even safe enough to keep. Only the same criminals who murdered his father seven years ago are watching, waiting. Their grudges run deep. When Emily and Rainer's magic combines, it's more than a head rush of sexual connection-it's power that draws attention. Can they master harnessing the energies of the Earth in time to keep their family safe? Wealth, power, magic, and love are all on the line for Rainer and Emily.