The Defiant Heir
Page 50
Remaught nodded absently, his hand drifting to his vest pocket. For a brief moment, Ard thought the mobster might pull a Singler, but he relaxed when Remaught withdrew the key to the safe box. Remaught stepped forward and set the key on the edge of the table, just outside the hazy Void cloud.
“I’m ready to close the deal,” he said, producing a few papers for Ard’s inspection. Detonation licenses—or at least forgeries—which would allow him to purchase Grit.
But Ard wasn’t interested in the legalities of the transaction. He dismissed the paperwork, picking up the keg of false Void Grit and holding it out to Remaught.
“Of course, I’ll need a receipt,” said the mobster, tucking his licenses back into his vest.
“A receipt?” That sounded frightfully legitimate to Ardor Benn.
“For my records,” said Remaught. In a moment, the man had produced a small square of paper, and a charcoal scribing stick. “Go ahead and notate the details of the transaction. And sign your name at the bottom.”
Ard handed the Grit keg to Remaught and accepted the paper and charcoal. Remaught stepped away, and it took only moments for Ard to write what was needed, autographing the bottom as requested.
“I hope we can do business again in the future,” Ard said, looking up from his scrawling. But Remaught Azel didn’t seem to share his sentiment.
“I’m afraid that will not be the case.” The mobster was standing near the open doorway, his Trothian bodyguard off to one side. Remaught had removed the cap from the Grit keg and was holding the cheap Slagstone ignitor.
“Whoa!” Ard shouted. “What are you—”
Remaught brought the ignitor down. A cluster of sparks danced from the impact, showering onto the gray powder housed in the open keg.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize an entire keg of counterfeit Grit?” Remaught asked.
Ard crumpled the receipt and dropped it to the floor, lunging for the key on the edge of the table. He scooped it up, but before Ard could reach the safe box, the Trothian bodyguard was upon him. In the blink of an eye, Ard found himself in a headlock, forced to his knees before a smug Remaught.
“I believe I mentioned that I had another appointment today?” Remaught said. “What I didn’t tell you was that the appointment is happening now. With an officer of the Regulation.”
A man appeared in the doorway behind Remaught. Not just a man—a veritable mountain. He had dark skin, and his nose was somewhat flat, the side of his face marked with a thin scar. The Regulator ducked his shiny, bald head under the door frame as he entered the room.
He wore the standard long wool coat of the Regulation, a crossbow slung over one shoulder and a sash of bolts across his broad chest. Beneath the coat, Ard thought he could see the bulge of a holstered gun.
“Delivered as promised,” Remaught said, his tension at an all-new high. The Regulator seized Ard’s upper arm with an iron grip, prompting Remaught’s bodyguard to release the headlock.
“What is this, Remaught?” Ard asked between gasps for air. “You’re selling me out? Don’t you know who I am?”
“That’s just it,” said Remaught. “I know exactly who you are. Ardor Benn, ruse artist.”
“Extraordinaire,” said Ard.
“Excuse me?” Remaught asked.
“Ardor Benn, ruse artist extraordinaire,” Ard corrected.
BY MELISSA CARUSO
The Tethered Mage
The Defiant Heir
Praise for
The Tethered Mage
“The Tethered Mage is a riveting read, with delicious intrigue, captivating characters, and a brilliant magic system. I loved it from start to finish!”
—Sarah Beth Durst
“Charming, intelligent, fast-moving, beautifully atmospheric, with a heroine and other characters whom I really liked as people. (I overstayed my lunch break in order to finish it.) I would love to read more set in this world.”
—Genevieve Cogman
“Intricate and enticing as silk brocade. Caruso’s heroine is a strong, intelligent young woman in a beguiling, beautifully evoked Renaissance world of high politics, courtly intrigue, love and loyalty—and fire warlocks.”
—Anna Smith Spark
“One of the best first novels in a brand-new high fantasy series that I’ve read in ages.… The Tethered Mage is the book you need right now. Absolutely recommended.”
—The Book Smugglers
“Engaging and entertaining with intrigue, a good pace, and strong characters. Zaira and Amalia are bright, bold heroes in a smartly constructed world.”
—James Islington
“Breathtaking.… Worth every moment and every page, it and should make anyone paying attention excited about what Caruso will write next.”
—BookPage
“An enchanting voice and an original world you won’t want to leave.”
—RJ Barker
“A rich world, political intrigue, and action that keeps you turning pages—The Tethered Mage is classic fantasy with a fresh voice.”
—Jeff Wheeler
“The Tethered Mage is the best kind of fantasy: intricate world-building, the most intriguing of court intrigues, and a twisty plot. But while readers might pick it up for those elements, they’ll stay for the engaging characters and the unlikely friendships at the story’s heart.”
—Rosalyn Eves
“It’s a pleasure to journey with shy and slightly awkward Amalia as she puts her scholarship in magic and puzzle-solving skills to good use.… Charming.”
—Kirkus
“A gorgeous, fresh fantasy debut filled with political intrigue and ethical quandary.… Highly recommend.”
—Girls in Capes
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