Low stakes. High heat. Sharp steel . . . Mattinesh Jay, heir to his family’s struggling business, needs his arranged marriage to go off w ithout a hitch. But if he’s to successfully restore his house’s fortunes, Matti must first hire a sw ordsman to defend him against any sw ord-challenges at the altar. Unfortunately, the only duellist he can afford is part-time con artist and full-time charming menace Luca Piere. All Luca w ants to do is make some easy money and forget the crime he committed in his home tow n. He didn’t plan on being blackmailed into giving sw ord lessons to a chronically responsible – and inconveniently handsome – w ool merchant like Matti. But neither Matti’s business troubles nor Luca himself are quite w hat they seem. As secrets threaten to drive a blade through their grow ing alliance, both Matti and Luca w ill have to answ er the question: how many lies are you prepared to strip aw ay w hen the truth could mean losing everything you w ant?

Udgivet af TOR, U.K. 

Freya Marske
Freya Marske lives in Australia, where she is yet to be killed by any form of wildlife. She writes stories full of magic, blood, and as much kissing as she can get away with. Her hobbies include figure skating and discovering new art galleries, and she is on a quest to try all the gin in the world. Her short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Andromeda Spaceways, and several anthologies. In 2020 she was awarded the Australian National SF (Ditmar) Award for Best New Talent. Her debut novel, the queer historical fantasy A MARVELLOUS LIGHT, is forthcoming from Tordotcom Publishing in 2021.