Rustam Chalice, hedonist, dance tutor and spy, loves his life, never better than when he’s bedding a gorgeous woman. So when the kingdom he serves is threatened from within, he leaps into action. Only trouble is, the spy master, Prince Hal, teams him up with an untouchable aristocratic assassin who despises him. And to make matters worse, she’s the most beautiful woman in the Five Kingdoms. Plunged into a desperate journey over the mountains, the mismatched pair struggle to survive deadly wildlife, the machinations of a spiteful god - and each other. They must also keep alive a sickly elf they need as a political pawn. But when the elf reveals that Rustam has magic of his own, he is forced to question his identity, his sanity and worst, his loyalty to his prince. For in Tyr-en, all magic users are put to death.

Nessa Haddo has been raised to pursue what every young noblewoman needs: a suitable husband. Unfortunately for her, as a younger twin, her prospects are limited. Things start to look up when she lays eyes on the handsome foreign envoy sent to escort her sister to an arranged marriage, but her romantic fantasies quickly entangle her in events beyond her darkest nightmares. Compared to his last mission, ex-spy Rustam Chalice’s new assignment sounds simple: wrangle an unwieldy bridal caravan across a mountain range populated by bandits, trolls, werecats, and worse, try to cajole a traumatized princess out of her self-imposed isolation, and arrive on time for the politically sensitive wedding. What could possibly go wrong? Meanwhile, Lady Risada—the woman who haunts Rustam’s dreams—is struggling to adjust to a normal life. All her carefully honed assassin’s instincts scream warnings of foul play, yet she can find nothing obviously amiss. And deep in the halls of a mountain clan, an old enemy plucks his victims’ strings with expert malice.

Following on from The Prince’s Son, continue reading the gripping Five Kingdoms fantasy adventure… In the aftermath of the devastating coup, King Marten strives to rebuild his subjects’ confidence in the throne, but not all his councillors believe the young monarch is ready to rule alone. An assassin’s stalking him, his closest advisor has been murdered, and rumours have surfaced that the malicious god’s cult is reborn. As Marten grapples with a dark, personal secret, who can he trust? Meanwhile, fledgling spy, Lady Betha, successfully infiltrates a conspiracy. However, getting back out alive with information vital to the king’s survival may prove beyond her capabilities. And as Rustam and Risada search for Risada’s kidnapped son, they find the dual-natured deity meddling with their lives again. If only they could tell which aspect: god or goddess, evil or good? The fate of the land—and possibly mankind—depends on each of them completing their tasks. Problem is, with both sides of the deity now openly interfering in human affairs, will they all survive?