The Beasts We Bury by D. L. Taylor

Mancella possesses a dark power to summon magical animals, but only after she kills them in real life. Heir to the kingdom, her father submits her to years of violence to maximize her ability, convinced it will make her unstoppable. Meanwhile, a mysterious stranger recruits a thief named Silver to rob the castle, but to succeed, he must secure Mancella’s trust. After meeting, their feelings for each other grow and they must choose between their ambitions to escape their pasts and stopping a threat to the entire realm. Mancella is a complex main character forced to navigate a treacherous family, knowing she’s about to inherit a kingdom on the brink of war, with magic that is her most powerful asset as well as a curse she’s forced to endure. But the compelling core of D. L. Taylor’s rich fantasy is how Mancella’s brutal power plays off of Silver’s clever charm, creating a compelling dynamic that drives an emotionally resonant story.