Title: Royal Decoy
Fate of Eyrinthia – Book 1
Author: Heather Frost
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Release Date: 18th June 2020
About the Book:
A BODYGUARD determined to keep her alive.
A PRINCE forced to execute his father’s brutal laws.
A PRISONER used to keep him compliant.
A WORLD on the brink of war.
In one horrible night, Clare goes from kitchen maid to royal decoy. She has three months to become the princess’s perfect double so she can ensure her betrothal to an enemy prince. Desperate to survive, Clare throws herself into self-defense training, taught by her distractingly attractive bodyguard. The danger increases when a ruthless assassin begins stalking her, intent on ending the tenuous peace.
Across the northern mountains, Prince Grayson is his father’s ultimate weapon. He carries out the king’s harsh orders because the one person he cares about is his father’s prisoner. Grayson’s silent obedience is tested when his father plans to exploit the marriage alliance between two of their greatest enemies. If Grayson submits, the blood of thousands will spill. If he resists, the girl who means everything to him will die.
The fate of Eyrinthia hangs in the balance. Some want peace. Some want war. All will be thrown into chaos.
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Exclusive Pre-Order Gift!
Pre-order ROYAL DECOY and you can receive an exclusive bonus short story!
Grayson is his father’s ultimate weapon–but he wasn’t always. THE PRINCE AND THE PRISONER is the story of how a young Grayson met the little girl who would change his life forever.
To claim your gift, simply pre-order ROYAL DECOY and fill out the form linked below. (You will need to upload an image of your pre-order receipt.) After ROYAL DECOY releases, you will receive via email THE PRINCE AND THE PRISONER!
NOTE: Since you can only pre-order the Kindle edition of ROYAL DECOY at this time, I will also extend this to any physical copy purchases made on release day, June 18th!
Claim your pre-order gift here: https://forms.gle/u3PpeGAU5KPLFxKEA
Excerpt:
Tears dashed down Clare’s cheeks as the carriage rolled toward the castle. Her teeth grated and her knuckles whitened as she gripped the toy soldier her brother had given her. To watch her. Protect her.
No one could protect her.
The storm broke and rain hammered the city, pelting loudly off the canvas roof of the carriage. It was only late afternoon but the storm cast the city of Iden into premature darkness. Clare thought of the blue-eyed soldier, drenched on his horse. Let him be wet. He’d been sent to ensure she didn’t run away. He deserved some misery.
A shout rent the air and the carriage lurched to a stop, nearly throwing Clare from her seat. Screams rose above the drumming rain and the agonized shriek of a horse pierced through the chaos. A chill raced over Clare’s skin, lifting the hairs on her arms and neck. The crash of metal striking metal echoed through the street.
The carriage was under attack.
Her heart kicked in her chest and her breathing spiked. She let out a strangled cry when something heavy—a body?—crashed into the side of the carriage, rocking it. The same adrenaline she’d felt when the princess had been ambushed rushed through her, and Clare grasped the door handle with a trembling hand. She wouldn’t wait in here to be slaughtered.
Clare crouched behind the opening door, using it as a shield as she dropped to the ground. She was grateful for the braided crown that kept her long hair out of her eyes; the sheeting rain did enough to blur her vision. A tall building rose directly in front of her, the thin opening of an alley only several paces away. The soldiers fought in front and behind the carriage, struggling against men with dark cloths tied around the lower halves of their faces. Even at a glance, Clare could see that the masked attackers horribly outnumbered the uniformed guards.
“Get back inside!”
Clare jolted at the shout, looking to the blue-eyed guard. He stood mere paces away, twisted toward her, expression hard as he gripped his sword. Rain soaked him, darkening his sandy hair and sluicing off his face and shoulders. “Get inside!” he repeated.
A masked man popped up behind him, raising his sword for a deathblow.
Clare’s heart seized. “Look out!”
The bodyguard whirled, ducking as he spun. He avoided the attacker’s blade and slashed up with his own, the two of them exchanging blows too quickly to track. Rain flew off the swinging blades, but Clare didn’t stay to watch. She bolted for the nearby alley, abandoning the carriage and the brutal fighting. She launched herself onto the narrow street, rain stinging her face as she ran. Beggars huddled against the alley walls, a feeble shelter from the storm. They stared as she darted past and one even called after her.
Escape. She needed to escape the danger and—
Escape.
She nearly stumbled. She could actually escape. She could run home and grab her brothers. By the time the king learned of her disappearance, it would be too late. And, thanks to the king, they had enough food and coin to make the journey possible. They could leave Devendra and her oath. Forever. She didn’t have to be the princess’s double.
It was a split-second decision, but Clare embraced it. She reached the end of the alley and turned left. Away from the castle, back toward home.
The street was crowded with people hurrying to escape the storm and Clare plunged through them, ignoring the bruising elbows and curses flung after her.
A scream shattered the normalcy of the street and Clare twisted a look over her shoulder. Her stomach dropped.
A masked man with a drawn sword shoved through the crowd, heading for her.
Author Interview:
1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you in to writing?
Hi! I’m Heather. A little about me… I re-watch Lord of the Rings frequently and my favorite room in my house is my library. I have always lived in Utah, but I love to travel—some of my favorite countries I’ve visited are Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Germany. I’m the second oldest child in a family with ten kids, so I grew up identifying with the Weasleys! I learned to read when I was four, and I have always devoured books. And even as a young kid I’d write short stories and entertain my younger siblings with made-up fairy tales.
I grew up in a small town with a small library, so by the time I was 11 I was running out of books to read. That’s when I thought, “You know what you like in a book. So write it.” And I did. I thought it was my masterpiece, and I finished it when I was 12. It was 240 typed, single-spaced pages. And I was so sad when I typed THE END, because I’d had so much fun with it, and I’d poured all my ideas into that one book. Then, of course, I realized I hadn’t used ALL my ideas, and so I started writing my next book. By the time I was 18 I’d finished 9 novels and had started 23 more, plus I had about a hundred other ideas jotted down in my notebooks. That’s when I decided I should probably take my writing seriously 🙂 I published my first book, Seers, when I was 21, and I feel so blessed that I can live my dream!
2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?
I love writing in the morning, because I feel like my creative energy is really active then. I write best in my office with soft music—usually soundtracks. Hans Zimmer is a favorite.
3: Where do your ideas come from?
I get inspiration from a lot of places, including other books, movies, and even things I see in the news. It might be a character trait or a problem that catches my imagination, and then I start asking “What if” questions, which inevitably lead me to a new story.
4: Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?
I never have all the details. Even when I try to outline, it never fully works 🙂 To start writing, I need to know the main character and the problem they’re facing. While brainstorming that, I figure out the setting, other important characters, and the main storyline. I know the end goal (even though sometimes details are hazy) and usually a twist or two. As I write, characters make decisions and details fall into place, and a story is born.
5: What genre are your books and what drew you to that genre?
I write mostly YA, and fantasy is my favorite genre. Castles, swords, dragons, magic, princesses, thieves, assassins—that’s the stuff I loved as a child, and I guess I haven’t really grown up because I still love it. I love being in a different world, whether it’s urban fantasy, paranormal, or a new world entirely—with or without magic. I also include strong romance elements, because I’m a sucker for a good love story.
6: What dream cast would you like to see playing the characters in your latest book?
This isn’t the fun answer, but I’d really like to see a cast of unknowns so we can see new talent!
7: Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors?
I read voraciously! Favorite authors are hard to pick, because I really have so many. But some are Mary E. Pearson, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Maas, Marissa Meyer, and Ilona Andrews.
8: What book/s are you reading at present?
I’m currently reading “Serpent & Dove”, by Shelby Mahurin, “Maybe We’ll Remember”, by Amanda Luzzader and “Sapphire Flames” by Ilona Andrews
9: What is your favourite book and why?
Oh gosh, I hate this question. There are so many amazing books, and so many different genres! I often give the, “Whatever book I’m reading right now” line. But, today I’ll say “The Darkest Star” by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I love so many of her books, but that one blows me away. I’ve re-read it several times because, well, Luc 🙂
10: What advice would you give for someone thinking about becoming a writer?
You’ll face moments when you will doubt yourself, your skill, your book—but you cannot let those moments stop you. Let your dream be stronger than your doubt. Do not give up, even when you face rejection. An author is a writer who didn’t give up. So keep going. Believe in you!
11: What are the best Social Media Sites for people to find out about you and your work?
I love to connect with readers and fellow book fans! You can find me via your favorite social media platform below:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorHeatherFrost
Instagram: www.instagram.com/heather.frost.author
Twitter: @HeatherFrost
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/4983261.Heather_Frost
Other Author Links
Website: www.HeatherFrost.com
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/Heather-Frost/e/B006AHGARO
Join Heather’s Mailing List via her website or this landing page: http://eepurl.com/gQh_aD
About the Author:
Heather Frost writes mostly YA fiction and has a soft spot for tortured characters, breath-stealing romance, and happy endings. She is the author of the Seers trilogy and the Fate of Eyrinthia series. She has a BS in Creative Writing and a minor in Folklore, which means she got to read fairy tales and ghost stories and call it homework. When she’s not writing, Heather likes to read, travel, and hold Lord of the Rings movie marathons. She owns two typewriters, sings in the car, and dreams of living in a castle someday. She currently lives in a beautiful valley surrounded by towering mountains in Utah. To learn more about Heather and her books, visit her website: http://www.HeatherFrost.com.
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