Fantasy book read in elementary school. Hotheaded, violent Girl (traveling knight/ mercenary with sword); exiled Prince fleeing home due to betrayal; and Thief/ Spy works for villain. Chapters switch POVs. Cover: red? Thick book. Read 2000-2005. Spoiler.

[Allison]

I'd like to begin by saying I did ask about this book on reddit before now, and none of the suggestions there were it. And so, I come to you in a final act of desperation. The book I read was not in the Song of the Lioness universe, nor was it Deltora Quest.

I read this book sometime in elementary school (2000-2005). I think the cover was red (helpful, I know) and the book was thick. This was a fast-paced fantasy that jumped between three different povs, a different one each chapter.

There was a girl that was a traveling knight/mercenary/something with a sword and a traveling companion (maybe a mentor?). She was hotheaded and violent, and she cussed enough to make my little elementary self think I was being bad for reading it even though it was only hell or damn.

The prince had to flee his home because of a betrayal in his court that resulted in a swarm of monsters descending on his hometown. He eventually meets up with the girl and they work together to defeat the evil. I think one of his advisors dies helping him escape the castle.

The final pov was a thief/spy type character that worked for the villain. He was incredibly selfish, but began to feel guilty about halfway through the book and swapped sides at the end. He might have sacrificed himself to save the others? I can't remember if he died but I'm fairly certain he did.

This book might've been older than the years I read it, but I remember feeling unsatisfied with the ending, as if it wasn't finished. I don't know if it had a sequel and the school library just didn't have it, or if it was waiting for a sequel to be published.

[Jade]

It sounds like you got this from your school library? There's a chance, even though it was 20 years ago, that they might still have some records. Are you able to contact your school and see if they have any record of it, maybe even of you checking it out? It sounds really good!

[Allison]

I'm not sure if I can, but I suppose it's worth trying. And it was really good, it's haunted me for decades now lol!

[Rainbowheart]

Anything by Tamora Pierce?

[Allison]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Anything by Tamora Pierce?"
Definitely not Tamora Pierce, I've read some of her stuff just to check and it doesn't fit what I read, though I did enjoy reading her stuff

[Kris]

Allison, I copied some book details to the topic header. Feel free to edit it.

[Allison]

Thank you!

[Mel (Epic Reading)]

The three POVs with two men and one women, high fantasy makes me think of Elizabeth Hayden’s Rhapsody (series is Child of Blood).
Except she’s not a princess… but maybe?

[JB]

Aspects of this sound a little bit like The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner. I read it a really long time ago and don’t remember all the details, but I have a vague memory that your description lines up. Apologies in advance if I’m wrong (admittedly, the Goodreads description of the book seems kind of different).