by Rae Carson
Part of Girl of Fire and Thorns
First published 2013
Hector arrives for his first day as a squire in the Royal Guard at age fifteen. The other guards whisper that he earned his place through friendship with King Alejandro, not merit. His disastrous first day seems to prove them right. But Alejandro has chosen Hector for reasons beyond friendship. The king assigns him a secret mission that will test everything Hector believes about loyalty and honor. He must infiltrate the ancient Fortress of Wind and recover an object crucial to the kingdom's survival. Inside the fortress, Hector discovers something that shakes his trust in Alejandro and forces him to question their bond. The mission will either destroy him or forge him into the warrior he needs to become. This is the story of how a uncertain boy transforms into the formidable commander who will one day win Queen Elisa's heart.
Genres: adventure, coming-of-age, fantasy, young-adult, historical-fantasy
Vibes: action-packed, emotional, introspective, suspenseful, transformative
Tropes: betrayal-of-trust, chosen-one, coming-of-age, secret-mission, transformation-arc
Setting: Fortress of Wind, Royal Guard
84 pages · Kindle Edition · Greenwillow Books