Duty and Deceit

Hardened by a lifetime of espionage, Roxas's loyalty to the empire knows no bounds. But this comes at a cost- His family believes he's dead. He'd shed faces and names like a snake's skin, controlling the emotions of those around him with ease. Yet his carefully constructed world falls apart when he meets Kaia Nuwas, a determined imperial soldier in training, unknowingly caught in his web of deception.
Kaia would do anything for the people she considers family. Trained by Roxas's mother, she deems herself strong enough to protect those she loves. But could she save a man who doesn't want to be saved?
The novella is a prequel to the Cries of the Nine, full of dark themes, moral ambiguity, sacrifice and deception.