Gentle Warrior — Sedonia Guillone

The warrior Karan was the Pierran queen's prized general until a hideous betrayal left him an outcast, whipped and branded, his family destroyed. When Ariana, the queen's favorite slave, is framed for murdering her mistress, Ariana escapes a brutal punishment only to be captured by the very man Queen Maya had exiled.
Ariana recognizes the good heart beating in Karan's broad chest. Her faith in him and her enchantment with his physical beauty prove as irresistible to Karan as the comfort she offers him. He succumbs to her erotic charms in spite of the walls he's built around himself.

However, the palace holds something extremely precious to Karan, the reason he's remained nearby. Desperate to begin a new life with the man she loves, Ariana risks her life to return to the palace.

Publisher Note: This is a prequel to Heart of a Sorceress but both books can be read as stand-alone stories