Fire & Ash by Heather Frost

A fifteen-year-old Desfan can get into a lot of trouble... 

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First the flames . . .

When Desfan Cassian, the future ruler of Mortise, skips his fifteenth birthday celebration so he can gamble in the slums, he knows his father won't be pleased. Then again, the serjan hasn’t been happy with him in years. And while Desfan anticipates a reprimand for his latest transgression, he doesn’t expect to be thrown out of the palace and exiled onto a patrol ship for the next year.

Then from the ashes . . .

Furious to be trapped on the same sea that stole his family four years ago, Desfan is fully prepared to hate his new life. After all, the Phoenix is run by a strict captain, and Desfan's annoying new bodyguard, Karim, is his constant shadow. But when Desfan learns that a group of dangerous pirates may have been behind the deaths of his mother and sisters, he's suddenly committed to hunting down the truth—no matter the risk.

He will rise.

***Fire & Ash is a novella set in the world of the Royal Decoy series. While it is a prequel story and can be read as a standalone, it is best enjoyed after reading Royal Spy.***

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098SJYHW2?ref

Love this Quote:
“And yet, every time the phoenix’s flame destroys, it also re-forges. Every time, the phoenix rises from the ashes, reborn.”The captain eyed him. “The phoenix is the only creature I know that can be utterly destroyed, and yet rise again. He does this not just once, but repeatedly. He always survives the fire. It’s what gives him new life.”“But why?”Desfan asked, his hands fisting against the railing. “Why would he go through the pain of a thousand deaths, only to know he’ll die in fire again? It’s an endless cycle. What’s the point?”“I suppose he has something to live for, and that’s more important than any pain. It is enough to compel him to rise from the ashes every time.”Seveh glanced at Desfan. “Pain, loss, disappointment—even death—is all a part of life. We may not be able to cheat death as the phoenix does, but we can rise, too, Desfan. No matter how burned. No matter how deep the pile of ashes. We can choose to rise. That choice is always ours, and ours alone."
Review:🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
I always loved the strength and resilience of the Phoenix.Now will the story that the Captain of The Phoenix he told Desfan resonate with him and help him rise from the ashes of grief to become the man he was meant to be? I loved this story, could relate with the characters and had me turning the pages to the very end!