Have we got a show for you… And by we, I mean Thirzah, because she nailed this capstone novella.
I was just as unprepared as Amelia for the twists and turns of An Ambassador’s Ploy. I was ready for another palace-based intrigue, but instead got hit with executions, outcasts, and exiles.
If you’ll remember, we ended A Traitor’s Vow (book 2) in the dungeons, Sadie’s screams echoing out as the screen faded to black. An Ambassador’s Ploy wastes no time, immediately dragging Amelia to her execution. On the brink of death, Duke Gladik rushes onto the scene, whisking Amelia and her compatriots away to safety.
Amelia relies heavily on everyone else’s planning abilities, making suggestions but never pulling the trigger on them without the others’ affirmations. She practices swordplay with Ivan while he hunts the traitor, whom we all know is Kay. I mean… he basically admits it in the library when he asks Amelia to trust him for Sadie’s sake (who is still behind enemy lines).
Emperor Kyvir is nowhere to be seen and impossible to contact, but a message does get through to his mother, Marta. She makes a daring visit, encouraging Amelia not to give up and reinforcing the love Amelia has for Marta’s son. Unfortunately… Marta has to die.
While Sir Fern uses Marta’s death as a way of swaying the people towards war with Myarna (Amelia’s homeland), he doesn’t account for what it does to Amelia. Marta’s death wakes Amelia up. She has to do something fast, or there won’t be any hope for peace.
So, she charges past enemy lines in a poorly constructed disguise. Luckily, Leon finds her there and comes up with a better entry plan.
Even when she makes it to Kyvir’s side, proving Sir Fern lied about her death (cue, my death was greatly exaggerated gif) and explains what’s *really *been happening, he sides with Sir Fern, locking her away. He admits in her cell that he believes her, but Kyvir doesn’t know how to confront Sir Fern without getting himself and Amelia killed.
Instead of succumbing to defeat, Amelia fights back. Leon visits, but Amelia refuses to leave the palace while Kyvir is under duress. An assassin tries to kill her, but she keeps fighting!
Finally, she makes it back to Kyvir’s side. The palace is in an uproar because Leon and the others successfully turned the propaganda tides. Sir Fern enters, followed shortly by Duke Gladik, and all hell breaks loose.
When a sword finds a direct path to the emperor, Sir Fern leaps in the way. He may have been a treasonous traitor, but in his own mind, he was trying to set Kyvir on the right path—the previous emperor’s path.
With the main threat gone, the emperor follows Amelia’s example and takes charge of his and the empire’s fates. He issues edicts and generous judgments.
And of course, he kisses Amelia, his fiancée.
