Example electric machines presented herein generally include an embedded rotor slot geometry that can promote rotor q-axis flux linkage. The slot geometry can form concentric branches of magnetic material between slots that follow curvature of q-axis flux when current is flowed through rotor q-axis field windings positioned within a first portion of the slots. Current direction through rotor q-axis field windings can be aligned within a single pole and alternate in direction between poles so that q-axis flux from adjacent poles is additive along q-axes. A second portion of the slots can include rotor d-axis field windings positioned therein and configured to produce flux on the d-axis. A portion of the rotor d-axis field windings and/or rotor q-axis field windings can be replaced with magnets to achieve differing torque and efficiency profiles.