Cage of Deceit
(Reign of Secrets #1)
(Reign of Secrets #1)
by Jennifer Anne Davis
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: August 25th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: August 25th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Jennifer Anne Davis’ best-selling
True Reign series captivated readers from the very first page. Now, get ready
to become entangled in the follow-up series, Reign of Secrets. In this new
series, follow Allyssa, the daughter of the beloved Emperor Darmik and Empress
Rema— and find out what happens after happily ever after.
Seventeen-year-old Allyssa appears to be the ideal
princess of Emperion—she’s beautiful, elegant, and refined. She spends her days
locked in a suffocating cage, otherwise known as royal court. But at night,
Allyssa uses her secret persona—that of a vigilante—to hunt down criminals and
help her people firsthand.
Unfortunately, her nightly escapades will have to wait because the citizens of Emperion may need saving from something much bigger than common criminals. War is encroaching on their country and in order to protect her people, Allyssa may have to sacrifice her heart. Forced to entertain an alliance through marriage with a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom, she finds herself feeling even more stifled than before. To make matters worse, the prince has stuck his nosy squire, Jarvik, to watch her every move.
Unfortunately, her nightly escapades will have to wait because the citizens of Emperion may need saving from something much bigger than common criminals. War is encroaching on their country and in order to protect her people, Allyssa may have to sacrifice her heart. Forced to entertain an alliance through marriage with a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom, she finds herself feeling even more stifled than before. To make matters worse, the prince has stuck his nosy squire, Jarvik, to watch her every move.
Jarvik is infuriating, bossy and unfortunately, the only
person she can turn to when she unveils a heinous plot. Together, the unlikely
pair will have to work together to stop an enemy that everyone thought was long
gone, one with the power to destroy her family and the people of Emperion. Now
the cage Allyssa so longed to break free from might just be the one thing she has
to fight to keep intact. In order to save her kingdom, she will have to
sacrifice her freedom, her heart, and maybe even her life.
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Allyssa despised sparring in a dress. However, that was
the way her father had taught her to fight. He said if someone attacked her,
she would be in a gown, so she had to be able to maneuver in heavy fabric.
“Faster,” Marek
instructed. “You’re not focusing.”
She wanted to
growl because he was right, she was too distracted. Putting all thoughts of the
pretty prince out of her mind, she gave Marek her full attention. He swung his
sword, hitting hers near the hilt, making her drop it. Not intending to lose
their match so easily, she twisted and came in close to him. When he went to
grab her, she rammed her elbow into his stomach. He hunched over and she yanked
him down, slamming her knee into his face.
He dropped his
sword.
“I win,” she
declared.
Catching his
breath, he wiped his forehead. “You seem to have gained a few new moves.” Not a
question.
“Perhaps,” was
all she said in reply. The training room was lined with her personal guards.
She knew her father didn’t want her practicing—he’d rather she prepare for the
ball. But in order to make it through dinner and dancing, she had to release
her anger and frustration.
Marek took
their wooden swords and put them back on the rack.
“I’m not ready
to return to my rooms.” She still felt off balance and unsettled.
He glanced to
the door where Mayra and Madelin were waiting for her. “I need to go over some
security details with my father,” Marek stated.
“Then go.” She
waved him away. “I’ll only be a few more minutes.”
He briefly
spoke with the guards before he said, “Your Highness,” and left.
As soon as he
was gone, she put leather gloves on and went to the hay figure secured to the
wall. Taking a deep breath, she started punching it, imagining the dummy was
the prince. Smiling, she started hitting it harder and faster, allowing all of
her aggression to evaporate.
Someone started
clapping, and she spun around about to yell at whoever had interrupted her.
Prince Odar
stood there with a smirk.
“What are you
doing here?” she demanded, wiping the sweat off her forehead with her arm. He
was accompanied by two of his soldiers and the squire she noticed earlier in
the Throne Room.
He clicked his
tongue. “A testy remark from someone so delicate and lovely.”
Her eyes
narrowed. She was dirty, smelly, and certainly not the picture of a princess at
the moment. The squire clasped his hands behind his back, staring daggers at
her. He must not approve of a woman who could take care of herself, knew how to
fight, and who dared to sweat. She hated him almost as much as she hated the
prince.
“I’m sorry,
Your Highness,” she said, trying to keep the detest from her voice. “Please
excuse me, I must prepare for this evening.”
Mayra rushed
forward and placed a cloak upon Allyssa’s shoulders. The princess yanked the
hood up, concealing herself so no one from the court would see her all sweaty.
She swept out of the room, not looking back. She could have sworn she heard the
prince chuckling as she hurried down the corridor.
“Why didn’t you
use the opportunity to speak with the prince?” Mayra asked, trying to keep up.
“He obviously sought you out.”
Allyssa’s eyes
sliced over to her lady-in-waiting. “Because,” she snapped, “I don’t want to
talk to someone who flatters with pointless words.”
Mayra laughed.
“He is rather charming.”
“He appears to
be exactly as a prince should,” Allyssa said. “And I have no interest in
princes.”
“Aiming a bit
higher?”
Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a
degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she married her
best friend and high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a
full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent
living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids’ creativity.
Website
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When I was in high
school, the first date I had with my now husband, was on Friday the thirteenth!
So instead of being freaked out over the number, I love it!!
2. What's the best thing that happened after your book was
published?
I love receiving
messages from my readers telling me that my book has touched their lives.
There’s nothing better than that!
3. Do you read reviews of your books?
Always. I want to
know what my readers think. If they liked the story, I want to know why so I
can make sure I keep doing it!! However, if there was a problem or something
they didn’t like, I want to know so I don’t make the same mistake twice!
4. What is your best or most unforgettable moment with a fan?
I had a girl come
up to me, in tears, saying that my book helped her get through some stuff she
was dealing with personally. (My book deals with sexual assault, so hearing
that I helped someone is beyond words.)
5. Share us one embarrassing moment you've had.
There’s been so
many . . . how to choose only one?
6. Favorite color? Blue
Favorite movie? Pride and Prejudice
Favorite ice cream flavor? Mint Chip
Favorite song? Christina Perri, A Thousand Years
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