From the world of The Fireborn Epic …
Markham te Hoard is itching to get back to the fight.
Four years ago, he traded in his field command to run the Outrider Training Unit so he could offer stability to the lad he rescued from a desperate home. Now, Markham can practically feel the rust settling on his bones. Not to mention his sabre.
He is intent on returning to active duty as soon as the lad can manage without him. But trouble is stirring in the heart of Soldonia, and increasingly, Markham finds himself pitting his wits not against external threats but internal politics that value blood-ties above skill or valor. When the lad’s future is threatened by the criminal deeds of his father, Markham confronts an unsettling truth: the fight he sought may rest closer to home than he realized.
This enthralling short story (9k words) takes place in the epic fantasy world of The Fireborn Epic where warriors ride to battle on magical warhorses who can breathe fire, summon storm winds, and vanish into shadow.
It can be enjoyed before or after reading Of Fire and Ash.
