Princess Lira is a siren who harvests the hearts of human princes to maintain her status in the Sea Queen’s court. After she fails to kill a royal victim, her mother transforms her into a human as punishment. To regain her siren form, she must retrieve the heart of Prince Elian, a royal pirate who hunts sirens to protect the shipping lanes of the Midas kingdom. Lira joins Elian’s crew under a false identity, leading them toward a legendary artifact capable of destroying the Sea Queen forever.
Readers of dark fairy tale retellings choose this story for its cynical perspective on traditional mermaid folklore. It appeals to those seeking a protagonist who begins as a predator rather than a victim. The narrative provides a blunt look at how two enemies from warring species navigate a temporary alliance based on mutual deception. You will find a romance centered on sharp dialogue and a shared capacity for violence, concluding with a resolution that rejects traditional undersea hierarchies.
Insights from To Kill a Kingdom (Hundred Kingdoms, #1)
“I have a heart for every year I’ve been alive.”
Lira literally takes hearts to keep her status. It shows how some families only value you for your cruelty.
“I am a prince of nothing.”
Elian hunts sirens but feels like a stranger in his own palace. Being a prince can be its own kind of cage.
“To be a queen, you must first be a monster.”
The Sea Queen creates a daughter just to break her. Some parents see their children as weapons instead of people.
“In my world, love is a weapon.”
Lira finds more loyalty in Elian's crew than her own blood. Sometimes the enemy treats you better than your mother.
- Published
- 2018
- Publisher
- Feiwel & Friends
- ISBN
- 9781250112682
- Language
- EN
