Crown Duel

Sherwood Smith

When young Countess Meliara swears to her dying father that she will defend their people from the king's tyranny, she and her brother are thrust into a desperate war for which they are woefully unprepared. But the true battle has only just begun—once the bloodshed ends and an uneasy peace settles, Meliara is summoned to the royal palace, where she discovers that the real warfare is fought not with swords but with wit, words, and carefully calculated alliances. In the palace halls and drawing rooms, friends and enemies wear identical masks, and every gesture conceals hidden motives. Forced to navigate a treacherous world of court intrigue where trust is a luxury she cannot afford, Meliara must master an entirely new kind of combat to survive. This sweeping fantasy combines action, political intrigue, and coming-of-age as a young woman learns that the greatest victories are sometimes won not on the battlefield, but in the hearts and minds of those around her.