Blade of Castrial. The Echelon, #0.5

In a choice between love and duty, what can he choose? When Lucian is appointed Blade of Castrial, the second highest position in the Echelon of Castrial, next only to the King and equal only to the Shield of Castrial, it's the culmination of an impossible dream. The role of the Blade is to protect Castrial from external threats and in the course of his job, Lucian comes across secrets about his dead brother whom he idolised, secrets he can't share even with Alaric, his best friend and lover who is next in line to become the Shield of Castrial. When the current Shield of Castrial is killed suddenly and all clues point to Alaric, Lucian has to decide whether he should turn a blind eye or let the law take its course. Blade of Castrial is the prequel to The Echelon series.
If you love epic fantasy, queer characters in a queernormative society and political intrigues, you will love this book.