The Cruel Prince

The story centers on Jude Duarte, a mortal girl who, at age seven, witnessed the brutal murder of her parents by Madoc, a powerful general in the world of Faerie (Elfhame). Madoc, who is also the biological father of Jude’s older half-sister, then kidnaps all three sisters and raises them in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. 

Now seventeen, Jude desperately wants to belong in the magical world but is constantly ridiculed and tormented for her mortality. Her primary tormentor is Prince Cardan Greenbriar, the youngest and cruelest son of the High King, who uses his power and privilege to make Jude’s life miserable. Jude, an expert in strategy, sword fighting, and manipulation, refuses to be a victim. Instead of seeking a life as a knight, she becomes a spy for the seneschal of the court. As political tensions mount and the High King prepares to name an heir, Jude is drawn into the dangerous palace intrigue. When the king is murdered, she must align herself with the very cruel prince she hates the most to save her sisters and protect the fragile peace of the realm.