Title: The Duchess of Kokora
Author: Nikhil Prabala
Genre: YA Romantasy
Book Blurb:
The Duchess of Kokora, Phera Ylir Mdana, has entered the marriage games of the neighboring kingdom of Ryene. But she’s not there to woo the dashing Prince Dominic.
Her true objective? To win back one of the other contestants, Lady Rocelle Virae—Phera’s true love and ex-fiancée.
Love proves to be a game like any other when Phera must not only mend matters with her childhood sweetheart, but conceal her true intentions in order to earn votes and stay in the competition.
And as long-brewing political tensions simmer beneath the surface, the playful veneer of the competition begins to crack. In the end, Phera, Dominic, and Rocelle find themselves united in a desperate bid to prevent a duel that threatens the integrity of the kingdom, the stability of the continent, and any hope for a happily ever after.
Listen to an Audiobook Excerpt:
“Your Honor. In my defense, the gentleman bears a remarkable resemblance to a horse’s ass. When I struck him with that riding crop, why, I was merely thinking to spur him out of everyone’s way!”
The Duchess of Kokora, Phera Ylir Mdana, stood tall behind the defense table, widening her eyes in a picture of bewildered innocence as the gallery behind her roared with laughter.
“Order, order,” intoned the judge. The bald man sat upright in his chair behind the long mahogany dais at the head of the courtroom. His arms lay bare beneath a sleeveless red tunic, revealing intricate golden tattoos running down his forearms and palms in the pattern of the Signs of the Saints. A head monk of the Saintly Path, he had been called in for the inquest since no lay judges were available that afternoon.
“She makes a mockery of us!” snarled Ser Mansibal Vloram, a turnip-shaped gentleman standing at the table to Phera’s far left. A sharp cut and several bruises purpled his snarling face. “No, of these whole proceedings!”
Phera raised her bejeweled hand and swept it off to the side. Sharp-faceted blue gemstones sparkled in the glittering talons adorning her fingers, the enchanted accessory complementing the jewel tones of her green dress and the delicate sheen of her padded silver blazer. Her Kokoran braid spilled down luxuriously over her back collar in a series of winding knots, cinched in place by a gleaming silver pin.
She kept her gaze forward with the slightest tilt of her hawkish face, and with a smooth half-step of her pearl boots, took up a pose of command. She’d foregone the traditional Rynish petticoats and ruffles in favor of a striking modern aesthetic. In a nation that had held itself back from the rest of the world by nearly two centuries in both custom and technology, sporting such a style was as good as having a personal spotlight.
With a sharp flourish, she finished the layered Wind Signs she’d been tracing with her taloned fingertips. A glowing set of interlocked glyphs materialized in an emerald flash. The effort of concentrating on the spell brought a familiar tightness to the back of her mind and the muscles of her body. But the strain was a little thing compared to the magic she was trained to perform.
Phera took a deep breath and the rich petrichor of storm winds washed over her throat, infusing her voice with the resonance of distant thunder.
“You’ve made a mockery of your knightly vows, Ser,” she boomed, “and all without my help. What kind of knight would beat a helpless serving girl? What kind of knight could bear to show his face to this court after having abused one of the very citizens he was sworn to protect? No! You were already shown justice for your actions, and you mock it with these charges against me.”
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
● Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D5CD4RNN
Author Biography:
From playing the DM in Dungeons and Dragons to writing fantasy novels, Nikhil Prabala loves storytelling, delighting in fantasy fiction from the epic to the cozy and everywhere in between. THE DUCHESS OF KOKORA is his first published novel.
Born and raised in Austin, Texas, he graduated from Stanford in 2019 and is currently based in the Bay Area. In his free time he enjoys ballroom dancing, singing, playing the guitar, tabletop games, and spending time with friends and family.
To connect with him on social media, you can find him as @nprabala on both Instagram and TikTok.
Social Media Links:
● Website: https://www.nikhilprabala.com/
● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nprabala/
● Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nprabala