The Five Kingdoms

Series · 3 books · 2013-2019

By Deborah Jay

Books in series

The Prince's Man

2013

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.

The Prince's Son

2016

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.

The Prince’s Protégé

2019

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?

Author

Deborah Jay

Author · 7 books

Deborah Jay writes fast-paced fantasy adventures featuring quirky characters and multi-layered plots – just what she likes to read. Fortunate to live near Loch Ness in the majestic, mystery-filled Scottish Highlands with her partner and a pack of rescue dogs, she can often be found lurking in secluded glens and forests, researching locations for her books. Her taste for the good things in life is kept in check by the expense of keeping too many dressage horses, and her complete inability to cook. THE PRINCE’S MAN is her debut novel; first in a trilogy and winner of a UK Arts Board award. Book #2, THE PRINCE'S SON, and #3, THE PRINCE'S PROTEGE, are also available, with the concluding book of the quartet, THE PRINCE'S HEIR due out on December 14th 2021. Also published are urban fantasy DESPRITE MEASURES and short story SPRITE NIGHT, both in the CALEDONIAN SPRITE series. She has published a multi-author SFF anthology which features her SF story, PERFECT FIT. She has non-fiction equestrian titles published under her professional name of Debby Lush. Find out more about Deborah at https://deborahjayauthor.com/ or follow Deborah on twitter https://twitter.com/DeborahJay2 and facebook https://www.facebook.com/DeborahJay