Short Fiction - Rob J. Hayes / Короткие рассказы - Роберт Хейс

The world is full of heroes, villains, and all the shades in between. The Bound Folio tells their stories from the tortured childhood of the legendary Blademaster the Sword of the North, to the humble origins of the Queen of the Five Kingdoms, to the death of one of the world's greatest assassins.

This anthology collects together eight dark stories of swords, sorcery, and seduction from First Earth, the setting of The Ties That Bind trilogy and the forthcoming Best Laid Plans duology.

The Sword of the North
When Derran Fowl’s father requests a witch hunter to exorcise his daughter, Derran’s whole world comes crashing down around him.

A Game of Poisons
Alfer Boharn was once the most famous assassin in the world, but those days are behind him now. Unfortunately, the past has a way of catching up with folk.

The Kid
Growing up in Korral is a hard life where friends are just enemies waiting for a reason. The Kid is about to find his reason.

The Battle of Underbridge
The Five Kingdoms war against the dead never ends and squire Tristan Southerland is about to get his first taste of it.

The Merchant of Truridge
After the suspicious death of his father, Sirion Tell returns to Truridge to take up the family business, only to find out just how dangerous the merchants of Truridge can be.

By My Life and My Bloodline
Lorri and Ehln are guilty of no other crime than existing, yet it’s enough to see them chased to the ends of First Earth and back.

You Never Forget Your First Time
Before she became Queen of the Five Kingdoms, Shián Crowfeather was the only student ever to be expelled from the school of mistresses.

Black Blood
Between devious pirates, walking skeletons, and an ancient treasure map; Arbiter Beck’s mission in the Pirate Isles will just have to wait.

– To the End – опубликован в антологии Blackguards

– Pre-emptive Revenge
As an addition, there is an event mentioned within these pages called the Siege of Reingard. This event takes place between the prologue and the first chapter. While that little side story does not really fit within the narrative for City of Kings, I have included it at the end of the ebook version for anyone who wishes to read it. It is also available on my website. That short story is called Pre-emptive Revenge and was originally published by Grimdark Magazine.