Shield & Blade (Fate of Eyrinthia #3.5) by Heather Frost -- Blog Tour Review + Excerpt

About the Book

His to protect

When Vera broke Venn’s heart, he was shattered. When she was abducted by mercenaries, he vowed to tear Mortise apart to find her. Now, reunited, he is determined to keep her safe–and win back her heart. Of course, things are never that simple.

Hers to defend

Vera has regretted hurting Venn ever since that fateful night in Wexon, but finding the right time to tell him is proving difficult. Traveling with him to Duvan should give her the perfect opportunity, but things take an unexpected turn when they find young children abandoned near a roadside.

Theirs to save

Helping the children isn’t in question, but the detour leads Venn and Vera into the heart of a sinister mystery. The truth they fight to uncover could change everything in Eyrinthia–and may cost them their lives.


Shield & Blade is book 3.5 in the Fate of Eyrinthia YA fantasy romance series. It is best enjoyed after reading Royal Captive.

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Excerpt

​Venn was taking a drink when Vera stilled.
     So attuned to her, he lowered the water skin at once. “What?”
     Her brow furrowed as she twisted to peer into the trees behind them. “I thought I heard . . .”
     Venn strained his ears, and after a few heartbeats he heard it, too. Soft and distant, a
muffled cry.
     They both came to their feet. Venn grabbed one of the daggers at his belt and handed it to
her. “Stay with the horse.”
     Vera took the blade with a frown. “But—”
     “It could just be an animal,” Venn said. “But it could also be some kind of a trap. Let me scout
the area first.”
     She didn’t look happy about remaining behind, but she nodded.
     Venn palmed another dagger and slid between trees, angling in the direction the sound had
originated. It wasn’t long before he heard it again—an almost cracking cry that ended
sharply—and he altered his course slightly. He stepped carefully, picking his way among the
underbrush and steering clear of anything that might give away his presence.
     The next time he heard the cry, there was no mistaking it—an infant’s shriek, new and weak.
Venn’s heart lurched and he stepped faster. He knew that sound, because he remembered his
little sister’s birth. She’d had that particular newborn cry for a period of weeks only. His three
nieces had been the same.
     Finally, he spotted a blanket. Gray and threadbare, it was bunched up on the ground
between two large rocks. A tiny fist had punched through the folds, but the baby’s face was
hidden. The cry was thin—more of a whimper, edged with a whine.
     Venn dropped his knife and pulled down the blanket, already making a cooing noise he only
ever had for his nieces. The infant’s eyes were closed, and her small face was scrunched up.
The babe’s frown was deep, making a jutting island of her chin. She had pinkish skin, but there
was no hiding that she was Devendran. Fates, she was so small. She could only be a week or
two old.
     She was wearing a small child’s shirt that drowned her, and it was filthy. She had no soiling
cloth, though a quick inspection showed no wounds or sign of abuse, other than some insect
bites on her arms and legs. She couldn’t have been abandoned for long, then.
     Venn kept murmuring to her as he checked her over, and then—satisfied that touching her
wouldn’t hurt her—he scooped her into his arms, cradling her small and fragile body against his
chest. Her downy hair was dark and matted to her head, and she instantly started rooting as she
nuzzled against him.
     He gave her the edge of his thumb, and she gummed it furiously. His heart broke. “Where is
your mother, little one?”
     She obviously had no answers. She merely pulled desperately at his thumb, her entire body
squirming.
     A twig snapped behind him.
     Venn clutched the babe to his chest with one broad hand as he whirled, his free hand diving
for his blade. He didn’t draw it, though.
     A boy—probably only seven or eight—stood across the small clearing. He clutched a small
bundle of wet cloth in one hand, and a dagger too large for his hand in the other. He was
Devendran, with sunburnt skin and brown hair, and though terror was in his eyes, so was anger.
“Put down my sister, or I’ll gut you.”

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 upcoming Fate of Eyrinithia 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: www.HeatherFrost.com.

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Review

As always, author Heather Frost captures readers with the turn of the first page.  Another fast paced story filled with adventure, intrigue, and romance.  This story focuses on the broken relationship between Vera and Venn.  It’s about their past regrets and how to best move forward with life without each other.  Or does it need to be without?  Readers will just have to dive into this story to find out. An engaging and fabulously written story that picks right where book three’s cliffhanger leaves off.  Readers will not want to miss this next book in the fabulous Fate of Eyrinthia series.

Series: Fate of Eyrinthia
Genre: young adult, fantasy
Publisher: Indie
Publication date: July 14, 2022 
Number of pages: 241

Other books in the series:
0.5-Fire & Ash
1-Royal Decoy
2-Royal Spy
3-Royal Captive

Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, authors, and others, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR borrowed from Deseret Bookshelf, OR pre-ordered/purchased for review, including Audible.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.​