ISLE OF BLOOD AND STONE

Mysterious maps from opposite ends of the sea cast doubt on the whereabouts of two princes, long presumed dead.

Nineteen-year-old Lord Elias, whose father, Lord Antoni, was the Royal Navigator of the kingdom of St. John del Mar, is summoned by the king, his dear friend Ulises, to examine two recently created maps that have just been discovered. They bear no identifying cartouches and yet they have unmistakably been painted by his late father. Even stranger, they hint that not only Lord Antoni, but also the rightful heirs to the throne are still alive. Eighteen years ago, Elias’ father disappeared and the royal princes were kidnapped by the neighboring kingdom of Mondrago. Eager to find Lord Antoni and the king’s brothers, Elias, Ulises, and Mercedes, Ulises’ beautiful and capable cousin, chase clues gleaned from the parchments, traveling to distant lands through serpent-infested waters only to suspect that the biggest threat to their kingdom lies within their own castle walls. Elias has long, wavy, sun-lightened brown hair, while Mercedes, half Mondragan, half del Marian, struggles with the disdain of her countrymen; she has black hair and golden skin, however her green eyes and freckles are a sign of her Mondragan ancestry.

A romantic maritime epic and a charming tribute to mapmakers, calligraphers, and explorers.