Heart Of Hope And Fear Book Three Of The Order Of The Crystal Daggers

“What about the Order?” I hesitated to ask, knowing Amir had painful memories of his own. “I wanted to be free before. Lady Penelope pointed out that this is the opposite of what I wanted. I can’t help but feel she is right.” “Wanting to be free is not a sin in itself,” Amir told me softly. “Only when that is everything and held to the highest priority is it so. We are loyal to the truth, Eleanora, but the truth is complicated, and freedom can be painful.” Prague, 1871 Despite the many demands that come with being a member of the Order of the Crystal Daggers, Eleanora Svobodová has plenty of reasons to celebrate. With Lumiere’s capture and Lady Penelope’s reluctant acceptance of Ferdy, not even Ben’s painful ire can completely diminish her joy. But just as the future begins to look bright, the past catches up to Eleanora and the other members of the Order. For as they investigate Karl’s disappearance, Eleanora learns the shocking secret about her mother’s final mission—and Lady Penelope’s treachery—while the Emperor risks his life and heads to Bohemia for a special tripartite council. Can Eleanora and the Order find a way to save the kingdom? And even if they do, will they be able to survive a new betrayal from among their ranks? Full of surprising twists and turns, Heart of Hope and Fear is the final book in The Order of the Crystal Daggers, a historical romance spy trilogy from C. S. Johnson.

THE ORDER OF THE CRYSTAL DAGGERS A HISTORICAL SPY ROMANCE SERIES Includes: Kingdom of Ash and Soot, Book 1 Prince of Secrets and Shadows, Book 2 Night of Blood and Beauty, A Companion Novella Heart of Hope and Fear, Book 3 City of Light and Sun, A Companion Novella Everyone has secrets. Everyone lies. Everyone has regrets. PRAGUE, 1870. For the last ten years, nineteen-year-old Eleanora Svobodová has worked as a servant in her stepmother's household. Along with her older brother, she dreams of the day they will be free to live life on their own terms. But everything changes when their estranged grandmother comes to Prague on behalf of Queen Victoria. Throughout Bohemia, a string of murders and secret whispers hint at a larger coup. As the leader of the Order of the Crystal Daggers, an ancient order of spies and soldiers that protect kingdoms and their rulers, Lady Penelope is determined to discover the perpetrators. And to do this, she eagerly pulls Eleanora into her plans. As she undergoes training in the life of a spy, Eleanora soon finds herself caught up in several adventures; she falls in love with a secretive rogue, finds the hidden heir to the throne of Bohemia, and traverses into the dark, magical worlds hidden throughout the city of Prague. But soon, her family's past secrets, intertwined with the history of the Order, lead to increasing division among her allies. Will Eleanora and the Order come together to stop war from coming to all of Europe, or will their quarrels destroy them - and others? Full of fun, history, secrets, betrayals, and family dysfunction, The Order of the Crystal Daggers is a historical spy romance series from award-winning author C. S. Johnson.

THE ORDER OF THE CRYSTAL DAGGERS: A HISTORICAL SPY ROMANCE SERIES Includes: Kingdom of Ash and Soot, Book 1 Prince of Secrets and Shadows, Book 2 Night of Blood and Beauty, A Companion Novella Heart of Hope and Fear, Book 3 City of Light and Sun, A Companion Novella Everyone has secrets. Everyone lies. Everyone has regrets. PRAGUE, 1870. For the last ten years, nineteen-year-old Eleanora Svobodová has worked as a servant in her stepmother's household. Along with her older brother, she dreams of the day they will be free to live life on their own terms. But everything changes when their estranged grandmother comes to Prague on behalf of Queen Victoria. Throughout Bohemia, a string of murders and secret whispers hint at a larger coup. As the leader of the Order of the Crystal Daggers, an ancient order of spies and soldiers that protect kingdoms and their rulers, Lady Penelope is determined to discover the perpetrators. And to do this, she eagerly pulls Eleanora into her plans. As she undergoes training in the life of a spy, Eleanora soon finds herself caught up in several adventures; she falls in love with a secretive rogue, finds the hidden heir to the throne of Bohemia, and traverses into the dark, magical worlds hidden throughout the city of Prague. But soon, her family's past secrets, intertwined with the history of the Order, lead to increasing division among her allies. Will Eleanora and the Order come together to stop war from coming to all of Europe, or will their quarrels destroy them – and others? Full of fun, history, secrets, betrayals, and family dysfunction, The Order of the Crystal Daggers is a historical spy romance series from award-winning author C. S. Johnson.

Everyone has dreams. PARIS, 1874. Benedict Svoboda knows what it means to experience loss. After the death of his mother, the rejection of his father, and the loss of his mentor, Ben is determined all the more to protect those in his care—and none more so than his beloved wife, Marguerite. However, Marguerite is no stranger to espionage. Having worked with Lady Penelope Ollerton-Wellesley and the Order of the Crystal Daggers for many years, Marguerite is able—and perhaps too eager—to work with Ben on his various missions, despite his objections. After arriving in Paris to oversee the signing of the Second Treaty of Saigon, their mission is soon interrupted by the theft of a priceless painting—and Ben is the primary suspect. Now, to find the true culprit and prove his innocence, Ben must work with Marguerite, even as they realize not all is as it seems, and there is more danger yet to face …

New York Times and USA TODAY Bestselling author of Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance brings another action, adventure, and suspense-filled story to transport readers out of this world. Dagger is a Trivator warrior. He is known for his dark and dangerous edge, making him the perfect warrior for impossible missions. He fears nothing, until he meets a young, delicate human female who wakens his heart. Her gentle touch, soft voice, and her shy sense of humor touch him in a way he never thought could happen. The thought of anything harming something so beautiful and fragile fills him with terror. Jordan Sampson is slowly adjusting to her new life on a strange planet far away from war-torn Earth. She had been seventeen when she was brought to the Trivator’s home world of Rathon along with her older sister, Jesse, and younger sister, Taylor, a couple years earlier. Fear, confusion, and uncertainty of what the future holds threaten to drown her as she tries to fit in. There is only one hope that keeps her going. It is the handsome alien male that stirs something deep inside her and makes her feel whole. When Dagger is captured during a mission and sold to the illegal Fight Rings, it is only the memory of Jordan that keeps him going. Time blurs as he slowly sinks deeper and deeper into a world of violence and pain until he becomes more animal than Trivator. Jordan knows Dagger is out there, somewhere. She can feel him in her heart. The heart she gave to him the first time he held her protectively in his arms. When she discovers where he is being held, she refuses to let anything stop her from rescuing him. What Jordan doesn’t realize is that she has been Dagger’s hope during his captivity. The one thing that holds the thin thread to his sanity. The fight to save Dagger takes Jordan on a journey that she hopes they both survive. The star system is a dangerous place for a young human female and a damaged Trivator warrior. Can Jordan reach Dagger in time, and if she does, can she heal his shattered soul? More books in the Alliance series: Hunter’s Claim: The Alliance Book 1 Razor’s Traitorous Heart: The Alliance Book 2 Dagger’s Hope: The Alliance Book 3 Saber’s Challenge: The Alliance Book 4 Destin’s Hold: The Alliance Book 5 Related series: Lords of Kassis Magic, New Mexico Science fiction romance; sci-fi romance; paranormal romance; alien romance; fantasy; romance, s.e. smith; se smith; sci-fi series; Urban fantasy; paranormal series. http://sesmithfl.com https://www.facebook.com/se.smith.5

BOOKER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A novel that follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance: one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single setting, The Sense of an Ending has the psychological and emotional depth and sophistication of Henry James at his best, and is a stunning achievement in Julian Barnes's oeuvre. Tony Webster thought he left his past behind as he built a life for himself, and his career has provided him with a secure retirement and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, who now has a family of her own. But when he is presented with a mysterious legacy, he is forced to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.

Colonel Ridge Zirkander isn’t the model of military professionalism—he has a tendency to say exactly what’s on his mind, and his record has enough demerits to wallpaper the hull of an airship—but as the best fighter pilot in the Iskandian army, he’s used to a little leniency from his superiors. Until he punches the wrong diplomat in the nose and finds himself issued new orders: take command of a remote prison mine in the inhospitable Ice Blades Mountains. Ridge has never been in charge of anything larger than a flier squadron—what’s he supposed to do with a frozen fortress full of murderers and rapists? Not to mention the strange woman who shows up right before he arrives… Sardelle Terushan wakes from three hundred years in a mage stasis shelter, only to realize that she is the last of the Referatu, the sorcerers who once helped protect Iskandia from conquerors. Their subterranean mountain community was blown up in a treacherous sneak attack by soldiers who feared their power. Everyone Sardelle ever knew is dead, and the sentient soulblade she has been bonded to since her youth is buried in the core of the mountain. Further, what remains of her home has been infested by bloodthirsty miners commanded by the descendants of the very soldiers who destroyed her people. Sardelle needs help to reach her soulblade—her only link to her past and her last friend in the world. Her only hope is to pretend she’s one of the prisoners while trying to gain the commander’s trust. But lying isn’t her specialty, especially when the world has changed so much in the intervening centuries, and if Colonel Zirkander figures out who she truly is, he’ll be duty-bound to sentence her to the only acceptable punishment for sorcerers: death.

Everyone Lies. PRAGUE, 1870. For the last ten years, nineteen-year-old Eleanora Svobodová has worked as a servant in her stepmother's household. Along with her older brother, she dreams of the day they will be free to live life on their own terms. But everything changes when their estranged grandmother comes to Prague on behalf of Queen Victoria. Throughout Bohemia, a string of murders and secret whispers hint at a larger coup. As the leader of the Order of the Crystal Daggers, an ancient order of spies and soldiers that protect kingdoms and their rulers, Lady Penelope is determined to discover the perpetrators. Now, Eleanora must make the choice between a life of intrigue and saving the lives of others. Can Eleanora find a way do the right thing and still find freedom? FROM THE BOOK: “I want to be free.” The words came rushing out of me before I could think through their implications and consequences. “There are two things you need to know about yourself if you want to be free—what you stand for, and what you stand against.” Lady Penelope held up her hands, brandishing a pair of daggers that had been hidden in her skirts. “This world lives enslaved to its destruction, and so long as you are living, as long as you are fighting, you will be free.” I gazed at the daggers, transfixed. Each blade was clothed in a leather scabbard, but the silver and obsidian of the daggers’ hilts winked at me, as though it was calling for me. FROM THE AUTHOR: With a fun blend of historical fiction, true love, castle intrigue, and family dysfunction, The Order of the Crystal Daggers is my latest adventure series! WHAT REVIEWERS ARE SAYING: 5 STARS! ~ Reader's Favorite This story was fantastic! Definitely one of my favorite reads of this year! ~ Laura A. Grace, Unicorn Quester Book Review