Pawn: A Vesper Blood Tale (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781036905149)

Nenet, The Magpie Assassin from Aprighast, finds herself in the The Rimy City, the capital of the continent of Za'alar. Tasked with the assassination of the world leaders during a political meeting. During her first few days she runs into a giant man, known as Herd, who helps her infiltrates the palace to poison the wine meant for the royals. Finding herself a perfect roost she readies herself to watch hell unfold.

Switch to the perspective of Nyx Shad-Sin, one of the Empresses of the neighbouring continent Navaria who is forced witness the horrific death of her paramour, Savi Valmoira on the evening of her arrival and then the murder of the two Za'alar rulers, the following day.

Nenet's ruler, Khepri Larki offers Nyx a deal in the shadow of the countless deaths, either join him and her continent survives or she refuses and both she and her people perish under the cruel boot of Aprighast. Nyx relents and agrees to join him, for the good of her people.

Fast forward four years later and Nenet has been appointed bodyguard to her ruler and Nyx - now pregnant with his child and future heir - while they remain stationed in The Rimy City while Khepri conducts his plan to hunt for the hidden Vesper Bloods within the Za'alar canyon.

The Vesper Bloods are the remains of the primordial Gods that once ruled the planet of Ysarianth millennia ago before they were overthrown by one cunning human, The First. One evening a beam of light shoots into the sky from the canyon and Nenet, along with Khepri and Nyx travel to find the first of five amphoras buried in the rock.

Following the location of the first amphora Nenet happens upon a man by the name of Rhidian, saving him from a soldier named of Druig she takes him under his wing for reasons unknown to her.

They discover that the second amphora is likely in Aprighast and so the three of them, along with The Alchemist and a handful of scholars travel back to their continent, leaving The Rimy City in the protection of Druig and leaving Rhidian too but thankfully under the protection of Khepri.

During the journey, Khepri, compelled by something, forces Nyx to drink a tonic that is infused with the Vesper Blood, poisoning her body and the child within her and imbuing her with the Fluid Vesper, Dawinu.

Upon their arrival in Aprighast Nyx is admitted to the Infirmary and Nenet is left to decompress at her local haunt, The Phault Line where she runs into a man she has missed for years. Sipran, The White Hawk, an assassin on the same level as Nenet welcomes her back with open arms and an open bed giving them time to rekindle their lost affections for each other.

Nenet asks for his assistance in locating the remaining Vesper Bloods for Khepri and thus a love triangle is formed between Sipran, Nenet and Nyx. The location of the second Vesper Blood is discovered and Nyx inadvertently drinks the amphora and is taken over by Flame Vesper Atlar. Within a dreamscape she makes a deal to find the remining three if the two within her remove the child from her. An agreement is made and the Vesper dispose of the fetus. Khepri, furious with the loss of the child he poisoned confronts Nyx only to be met with her new found strength as she kills him for the abuse he inflicted on her and the spawn he placed in her belly.

Sipran, Nenet and Nyx run, heading back for The Phault Line and meeting Herd once again who agrees to help them escape back to Za'alar to collect Rhidian as per the request of The Vesper; The White Hawk, The Magpie and The Little Knight are a vital part of the Vespers plan.

Seeking refuge on Nyx's continent, Nenet offers herself up for the murder of the royals. the book is left on a cliff hanger with the first chapter of book two at the back.