The Viscount

Eleven years before they were framed for the murder of a king, before even assuming the title of Riyria, Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater were practically strangers. Unlikely associates, this cynical thief decides to teach his idealist swordsman partner that no good deed goes unpunished. Will Royce wind up the teacher or be schooled himself?

Note: This is a 5,400 short story originally written in 2011 just as my self-published books were removed from the market to make way for the omnibus editions being released by Orbit. (Originally published as The Viscount and the Witch) It is also the seed that grew into The Riyria Chronicles, a prequel series that starts at the forming of Riyria and includes stories involving various adventures that Royce and Hadrian had during the twelve-year period prior to the events in The Riyria Revelations. Eventually this short story made its way into the second chapter of the second book, The Rose and the Thorn, so if you’ve read that book there is no reason to read this short as you already know what will happen. No prior knowledge of The Riyria Revelations or The Riyria Chronicles is required to enjoy it to its fullest, making this a perfect introduction for new readers or a chance for Riyria veterans to spend a little more time with old friends.