The King's Guard
A novella.
At fifteen years old, Hector is the youngest squire in the most elite military force in the country. And his first day is disastrous. Everyone assumes the only reason he was recruited is his close personal association with King Alejandro, not because he's really earned it.
But Alejandro needs Hector for a secret mission, one that gives him the chance to prove to everyone — including himself — that he is worthy to be a Royal Guard. Hector must break into the ancient Fortress of Wind to retrieve something so important that the kingdom's future depends on it. What Hector finds in the fortress will stretch his bond of friendship with his king near to breaking. And it will prepare him to become the fearsome warrior and lord commander Elisa will never let go.
A riveting prequel to Rae Carson's epic and acclaimed Fire and Thorns series.
Rae Carson
Rae Carson (born 1973) is an American fantasy writer.
Her debut novel, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, was published in 2011. It was a finalist for the William C. Morris YA Award and the Andre Norton Award, and it was the winner of the Ohioana Book Award for Young Adult Literature. It was also selected as 2012 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults by Young Adult Library Services Association. The series was a New York Times bestseller. Her books have also been translated into languages around the world.
She is married to science fiction writer Charles Coleman Finlay.
Fire and Thorns
Fire and Thorns consists of four primary books, and includes four additional books that complement the series but are not considered mandatory reads. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.