Cage of Deceit by Jennifer
Anne Davis
(Reign
of Secrets #1)
Published
by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication
date: August 25th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young
Adult
Synopsis
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.
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.
Excerpt
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?”
“No,”
Allyssa replied. “I’m aiming for someone a bit more real.”
Purchase
AUTHOR BIO
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.
Author links
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