Books

The city of Naressina is a prosperous crossroads of the world, trading spices, salt, silks and every other commodity under the twin suns. Merchant princes rule the republic alongside the powerful guilds and the old nobility. But not everyone belongs to a guild. Most of Naressina’s non-human inhabitants don’t. Nor do the denizens of the city’s infamous Lowtown that sprawls around the harbour.

For the Wharf Rats, taking what they need from those who seem to have more than enough - and running very fast from the city watch - is a way of life. But when they break into the warehouse of a wealthy cloth merchant, the caper takes a catastrophic turn. And as their desire to avenge their dead and betrayed comrades plunges them into a bloody street war, the Rats are soon fighting for their very existence.
Meanwhile, at the scene of the crime, the city watch have found a small golden figure, wrapped in black silk. Who lost it there? The watch don’t seem to care, or maybe they have orders not to investigate further. The merchant Zîf Kaliari and his free speaking wife are determined to find out. After all, their family has the respect of both humans and their own kind, and they are well connected. Their questions are more dangerous than they realise. What if the legends of Naressina’s dark past are real?

For the lives of those they love, unlikely allies must set their differences aside and trust their enemies. Worse, they have to trust themselves.

The emperor known as the Almighty commands dragons, and woe to those who earn his displeasure. Yet, his most trusted servants are secret. Figures of dark legend. Trained as assassins since childhood, they live only to strike unseen at night and bring death to the enemies of the throne. Not to ask questions.

“May I act with courage and without remorse. May the Nightmother keep my claws from the innocent.”

At the edge of the empire, a small caravan sets out across the fearsome desert towards the capital with a cargo of sugar, trusting their lives to a cat-eared crippled swordsman and his dimwitted young half-brother. But do not the philosophers say, nothing is true?

Eight-year-old Rumar travelling with his father has never seen a cat-eared zhârrush. And Erreth, who has never befriended a human before, finds herself caring more about the boy than a student of the Maw should. Especially since their journey is headed towards disaster.