Re-Caast: Lapis of Nicodem Volume 5

ONGOING
  As a new order rises from the ashes of a fallen empire, opportunity and danger await Lapis, her partner Patch, and the street rats.
  Family obligations and a lust for revenge convince Lapis and Patch to work for the Wolf Collaborate, a new government formed from the rebel alliance of the same name. Under the guidance of Lord Krios and backed by the Minq Syndicate, the Collaborate seeks to free all member countries from their puppet kings and create a ruling Council.
  The puppet kings will not release power so easily, and a Taangin noblewoman named Mesaalle Kez offers to help them against the Collaborate. Kez, who has meddled in Jilvayna for years, attempts to broaden her influence across the continent of Theyndora by appealing to the kings' power-hunger and greed, becoming their support in place of the Dentherion Empire. The Collaborate, already suspicious of her interference, wants more information on her and her ambitions. Faelan, who transitioned from Jilvaynan rebel Leader to head of the Collaborate's spies, sends Lapis and Patch on stakes to collect that information. The deeper they dig, the darker the info gets, and the more questions arise concerning Kez's true intentions.
  The struggles with her new line of work, a far cry from the petty crime stakes she once filled, adds to Lapis's other worries. End-of-empire violence threatens Jilvayna, putting those she cares for in danger. To keep the street rats of her reading circle safe, she officially takes on chaser apprentices with the help of pickpocket Rinan. She wants to guide them into local work that benefits the community, but helping the Collaborate is a more exciting, if more perilous, endeavor.
  The khentauree, centaur-like mechanical beings, and the terrons, sentient lizards, want positions in the new Collaborate. Their leaders see safety and protection through the connection, and feel their voices will add perspective to decisions. The Ambercaast scientific workstation and the remnants of the western Theyndora tribal peoples also want to contribute to the Collaborate, hoping to guide thoughts on government in new directions. They all have special problems that the spy network needs to solve, but the one closest to Lapis's heart remains open.
  When will Tuft wake up?
  Re-Caast is a serialized dark fantasy /science fantasy novel.