The King's Esquires; Or, the Jewel of France
The early 1500s: a world of poisoned courts and shifting alliances, where a young man's courage can mean the difference between a kingdom's glory and its shame. Denis is an esquire burning for adventure, chafing at his post guarding royal chambers while his rapier skills far outpace his opportunities. Then King Francis I confides a secret that throws Denis into the deep end of European intrigue: the famed balas ruby, the jewel of France, has been stolen and now resides in England. The mission to reclaim it will test his wits, his loyalty, and his nerve in equal measure. Fenn populates Denis's journey with fellow esquires whose camaraderie crackles with the energy of youth thrown into dangerous company. This is adventure fiction at its most exhilarating, where every shadow might hide a traitor and every foreign shore promises peril.
