Garlands and Gauntlets by Chloe Parker

When a disgraced half-orc noble and a snarky half-elf thief collide during Hearthwynd’s bustling Yuletide festivities, sparks and stardust fly.
Theodore Torin Greymarch, a towering warrior with a braided beard and a heart too big for his own good, isn’t looking for trouble. Stripped of his title and left wandering the streets, he just wants answers about the father he’s never met.
Unfortunately, Hearthwynd is a city where good intentions are a weakness—and Vaelin Alaric is the kind of rogue who knows how to exploit that.
Charming, sharp-tongued, and rocking an edgy half-shaved hairstyle that somehow works, Vaelin doesn’t do noble causes or emotional attachments. He does cons, quick cash, and vanishing before the fallout. Theo? He’s supposed to be just another mark.
But when Theo’s relentless kindness and big-hearted sincerity start chipping away at Vaelin’s defenses, their dynamic shifts from clever schemes to stolen glances. What begins as a holiday scam turns into a cozy dinner with Vaelin’s family, a quest for truth, and a kiss neither of them can forget.
Yuletide in Hearthwynd is full of magic, danger, and just enough mistletoe to complicate everything. Can Theo trust a man who lied to him from the start? Can Vaelin let himself believe he’s worth sticking around for?
In a story of second chances, found family, and festive chaos, it turns out the greatest heist might just be stealing each other’s hearts.