Blood of the Land: Nedley's Song: Book Four

An honored bard, king's agent, assassin, Nedley is all of these. He's also in deadly peril. Not only is the assignment given to him by King Alvain compromised and someone is on his trail waiting for a chance to stick a knife in his back, but the woman he loves, Duchess Iolande Eslyn, dowager queen of Dromaire, wants to kill him too. Nedley left the Kingdom of Eleyse to visit the Duchy of Powinde on the king's orders seeking vital information on a situation that may threaten Eleyse. Now he's missing and Iolande has been sent to find him and to put an end to questions that disturb her step-father, the king. The Powinde Wine Federation council has a few surprises for both she and the bard. To remain alive Nedley must look deep within himself just to survive both those sent to kill him and the woman who is looking for the man who killed her husband. Iolande sails north with an armed force and is troubled by the lack of information on Nedley's whereabouts. The council is obdurate and refuses to meet with her. While he struggles with the fierce northern winter and assassins who dog his steps, unexpected allies and enemies surface changing what was into what may be. A renegade Llona under sentence of death, the one seeking to fulfill that sentence, a coven of witches, friends who may or may not be true, a vacant ducal seat and rival claimants for that position, all coalesce in a defunct kingdom stricken by a mysterious and malign influence. It's up to Iolande and Nedley to settle their differences and solve the mystery that threatens all of them.