Paris, 1633. Louis XIII is king of France . . . and Cardinal Richelieu governs the country. One of the most dangerous and most powerful men in Europe, Richelieu keeps a steady eye on the enemies of the Crown, to thwart their spies and avert their warmongering. But he's up against people who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals, including forging alliances with France's oldest and deadliest enemies: Spain, and the Court of Dragons.The nobility keep tiny dragonnets as pets; royal couriers ride tame wyverns, and lethal man-shaped scaled dracs roam the country. But the power rising from the Court of Dragons is anything but mundane, and they're determined to raise true dragons: ancient, terrible, utterly merciless . . . and poised to move against France . . .This edition includes: The Cardinal's Blades, The Alchemist in the Shadows and The Dragon Arcana.'A fast-moving story, full of action, intrigue, and swashbuckling adventures' Dark Wolf's Fantasy Reviews'Deeply satisfying... . Pevel lets each of his fascinating characters shine in turn while weaving them together in a rich plot with just the right mix of inevitability and surprise. The storytelling is wonderful' Publishers Weekly'History and alternate history buffs, including fans of Naomi Novik's Temeraire series, should flock to this stylish, swashbuckling fantasy'Library Journal