Legend of Eli Monpress, The

Eli Monpress is vain. He's cocky. And he's a thief. But he's a thief who has just seen his bounty topped, and he's not happy about it. The bounty topper, as it turns out, is his best friend, bodyguard, and master swordsman, Josef, who has been keeping secrets from Eli. Apparently, he's the only prince of a rather feisty country, and his mother (a formidable queen who is every bit as driven and stubborn as he is) wants him to come home and do his duty, which means throwing over personal ambitions, such as proving that he's the greatest swordsman who ever lived. Family drama aside, Eli and Josef have their hands full. The Spirit Court has been usurped by the Council of Thrones, and someone calling herself the Immortal Empress is staging a massive invasion. But it's not just politics-the Immortal Empress has a specific target in mind: Eli Monpress, the greatest thief in the world.

First rule of thievery, don't be a hero. When Eli broke the rules and saved the Council Kingdoms, he thought he knew the price, but resuming his place as the Shepherdess's favorite isn't as simple as bowing his head. Now that she has her darling back, Benehime is setting in motion a plan that could destroy everything she was created to protect, and even Eli's charm might not be enough to stop her. But Eli Monpress always has a plan, and with disaster rapidly approaching, he's pulling in every favor he can think of to make it work, including the grudging help of the Spirit Court's new Rector, Miranda Lyonette. But with the world in panic, the demon stirring, and the Lord of Storms back on the hunt, it's going to take more than luck and charm to pull Eli through this time. He's going to have to break a few more rules and work with some old enemies if he's going to survive.