The Assassins of Consequence, page 1
Praise For The Novels Of Marshall Ryan Maresca
“[The Way of the Shield] is a political story, one which both demands and rewards your attention. It’s a personal story, dealing with pain, loss, heartbreak and forgiveness. It’s a story about morality, about sacrifice, about what people want from life. It’s a fun story—there’s quips, swordfights, chases through the streets. It’s a compelling, convincing work of fantasy, and a worthy addition to the rich tapestry that is the works of Maradaine. Pick it up, give it a try—you won’t be disappointed.”
—Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews
“Veranix is Batman, if Batman were a teenager and magically talented. . . . Action, adventure, and magic in a school setting will appeal to those who love Harry Potter and Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind.”
—Library Journal (starred)
“I sometimes feel like calling a series or book ‘fun’ almost sounds too simplistic. But when it comes down to it that is the trait that stands out for me most with the Maradaine books. It is a highly desirable trait in books like this, one that can be hard to pin down and one that not everyone can easily achieve. Maresca again gives us a book that is just a pleasure to sit back, read and enjoy. Have fun with it.”
—Speculative Herald
“The perfect combination of urban fantasy, magic, and mystery.”
—Kings River Life Magazine
“Marshall Ryan Maresca is some kind of mad genius. . . . Not since Terry Pratchett’s Ankh Morpork have we enjoyed exploring every angle of an invented locale quite this much.”
—B&N Sci-fi & Fantasy Blog
“Maresca’s debut is smart, fast, and engaging fantasy crime in the mold of Brent Weeks and Harry Harrison. Just perfect.”
—Kat Richardson, national bestselling author of Revenant
“Maresca offers something beyond the usual high fantasy fare, with a wealth of unique and well-rounded characters, a vivid setting, and complicatedly intertwined social issues that feel especially timely.”
—Publishers Weekly
Also by Marshall Ryan Maresca
Maradaine
THE THORN OF DENTONHILL
THE ALCHEMY OF CHAOS
THE IMPOSTERS OF AVENTIL
*
Maradaine Constabulary
A MURDER OF MAGES
AN IMPORT OF INTRIGUE
A PARLIAMENT OF BODIES
*
Streets of Maradaine
THE HOLVER ALLEY CREW
LADY HENTERMAN’S WARDROBE
THE FENMERE JOB
*
Maradaine Elite
THE WAY OF THE SHIELD
SHIELD OF THE PEOPLE
PEOPLE OF THE CITY
*
AN UNINTENDED VOYAGE
* * *
THE VELOCITY OF REVOLUTION
Copyright © 2022 by Marshall Ryan Maresca.
All Rights Reserved.
Cover design by Lila Selle.
Edited by Sheila E. Gilbert.
DAW Book Collectors No. 1913.
Published by DAW Books, Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious.
Any resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
The uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
First Edition, March 2022
Ebook ISBN 9780756417628
DAW TRADEMARK REGISTERED
U.S. PAT. AND TM. OFF. AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES
—MARCA REGISTRADA
HECHO EN U.S.A.
PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
pid_prh_6.0_139577568_c0_r0
Contents
Cover
Praise
Also by Marshall Ryan Maresca
Title Page
Copyright
Maps
Previously in Maradaine
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
PREVIOUSLY IN MARADAINE
THE THORN OF DENTONHILL
(Maritan 7th–14th—mid-spring)
Veranix Calbert, magic student at the University of Maradaine and circus-trained acrobat and archer, waged a vigilante war against Willem Fenmere’s drug empire, assisted by his friend Kaiana Nell, his roommate Delmin Sarren, and his cousin Colin Tyson, a captain in the Aventil street gang The Rose Street Princes. Veranix stole two magically empowering items, a rope and a cloak, which he used in his fight against Fenmere, including two low-level dealers named Lemt and Jendle. Veranix earned the sobriquet “the Thorn” from Fenmere’s men and the Aventil street gangs.
THE ALCHEMY OF CHAOS
(Joram 18th–22nd—late spring)
Veranix dealt with an alchemical prankster seeking revenge on campus, multiple assassins, and final exams, and shattered the fragile alliance between Fenmere, the Red Rabbits, and the alchemist Cuse Jensett. Veranix was attacked by three assassins: Bluejay, Blackbird, and Magpie. Veranix also found a savior and ally in Reverend Pemmick of Saint Julian’s Church. Jensett was captured by Kaiana and sent to Quarrygate. Magpie was also arrested and sent to Quarrygate, as was Jutie, one of the Rose Street Princes under Colin’s command.
THE IMPOSTERS OF AVENTIL
(Soran 11th–19th—late summer)
At the Grand Collegiate Tournament, Veranix struggled to keep drugs off the U of M campus, but two imposter Thorns created trouble for him, including attacking the local Constabulary. Minox and Satrine came to Aventil to investigate, and became intertwined with the Thorn. One of the imposters was Enzin Hence, who was involved in the sale of the drug The Soldier Fist, and he was hunting the Deadly Bird assassins who had killed his family, which included Blackbird and Bluejay. After many mistakenly thought the Thorn had killed Blackbird and Bluejay, Enzin was apprehended after an overdose of a magically-affected dose of the Fist, which altered his body. Enzin’s actions also drew the attentions of various other Deadly Birds, and Veranix and Minox had to work together to subdue them, including one named Jackdaw. The other imposter was Erno Don, a musician and mercenary who was hired to pretend to be the Thorn, injuring Lieutenant Benvin and killing one of his officers. Erno was stopped by Colin, who turned him over to the police, and then attacked the members of Fenmere’s crew who hired Don. Colin’s actions enraged Vessrin, the leader of the Rose Street Princes, and Colin resigned from the Princes after burning Vessrin’s face, declaring himself kin to The Thorn.
Minox learned Veranix’s identity as the Thorn, but decided to help him by providing files about Fenmere’s operation. Fenmere’s Poasian smuggling connections brought him a new drug, the more potent efhân. Satrine learned of the Altarn Initiatives, somehow tied to changes in the magic curriculum at the U of M.
THE FENMERE JOB
(Oscan 13th–17th—early autumn)
Veranix went out to West Maradaine upon learning that Fenmere was trying to expand his operation there. His initial actions lead to a misunderstanding with the Rynax Brothers, and their protégé Mila Kendish, but soon they were working to stop Fenmere’s plans and the Firewings Mage Circle. In working together, Veranix and Mila quickly grew close, especially as he learned she was going to be attending U of M shortly. Veranix was instrumental in stopping the Firewings, including beating the mage Pria Mandicall. Verci built a special new bow and arrows for Veranix as thanks.
PEOPLE OF THE CITY
(Oscan 25th–28th—early autumn)
Veranix started the new semester at U of M, where his classes were starting to take a militaristic bent after the launching of the Altarn Initiatives, while also still working against Fenmere with the help of Delmin, Kaiana and now Mila as well. Circumstances—partially directed by the mysterious Sister Myriem—led Veranix to team with the Rynaxes, Minox and Satrine and others—to a massive battle in St. Bridget’s Square, where Veranix helped defeat Crenaxin, the High Dragon of the Brotherhood of the Nine, after he had transformed himself into a giant flying creature.
THE ASSASSINS OF CONSEQUENCE r />
Nalithan 1215
Mid-Autumn
Chapter One
EVERY JOB IN DENTONHILL WAS sewage, so one might as well make a decent coin for doing the sewage, which was what Holder told himself about working for Fenmere.
Not that Holder ever saw Fenmere. He probably wouldn’t even know the man if he walked straight up and popped Holder in the face. The most important man in Fenmere’s organization Holder ever saw was Jullick, and that was only when something went really wrong in their count room. Usually he only saw Avi or Bobba, who dropped off product, picked up money, and checked Holder’s books.
Holder made damn sure his books were square. The last time he saw Mister Jullick, was when he had lost his most of his crew, and even though he hated breaking in new blood, it was what he had to do for this sewage job.
Tonight, it was bringing in the new seller—a twitchy fellow who just went by Nix. Not that Holder needed or wanted full names. The less he knew about these folks, and the less they knew about him, the better.
“This da new blood?” Nags, the black-skinned girl whose real name Holder never was able to pronounce, asked as she looked at Nix. He couldn’t ever place her accent, and when he had first thought she was chomie, she spat in his face and said, “Ain’t no tuk that I’m a kakla Ch’omik, sasa.” He had no rutting clue what half that meant, but he never called her that again. Nags was a solid seller, she knew how to make effitte move, and now that they were selling efhân, she was cleaning up. He was happy to have her on his crew, so he put up with her insolence.
“Yeah, well, gotta make the coin,” Nix said. “You know how it runs.”
“We know,” Burt said from the corner. Burt was usually Holder’s man for moving crates of effitte—arms like tree trunks, he had—but the efhân took up a lot less space in the den now. Weighed a lot less. But he kept Burt around, because Burt was exactly the fellow you wanted around when things went bad. Two words at a time was his usual mode of conversation.
“Yeah, so . . .” Nix said, rubbing his face. “Where’s the stuff to sell?”
“Ease it down, saddle,” Kam said, a wide, dangerous smile across his face. Kam was from out east, ranchland in Monim somewhere. Holder had no idea why someone would come across half the country—or half the world, in Nags’s case—to end up in a rutting hole like Dentonhill, working for bastards like Jullick and Fenmere slugging drugs to the burnheads out here. Holder knew this job was sewage, but at least he was born here and didn’t have any excuse.
“Sorry, sorry,” Nix said. “I’m just, you know . . . I’m really ready to get to work. Glad the window opened for me.”
“Yeah, you sakka why?” Nags asked. “You tell him, Kam?”
“Did I tell him about the guy?” Kam shot back. “Should I tell him?”
“Yeah,” Burt said.
“Who . . . who is the guy?” Nix asked.
“Pay them no rutting mind,” Holder said.
“No way, Holder,” Nags said. “We gots to tell him about the Thorn.”
“The who?”
“It’s . . .” Holder swore under his breath. “It’s just there’s a guy out there who’ll slap around dealers. Be aware of him.”
“Aware how?”
“Eyes up, you know. Be safe out there. Burt will have your back.”
“Not ’gainst the Thorn,” Burt said.
“Burt’s heard the stories,” Kam said.
“Yeah,” Burt said, taking a pipe out of his coat pocket. “I heard.”
“What stories?” Nix asked. He looked around nervously. “What is this guy?”
“He’s magic,” Nags said. “Got a rope like steel, they say.”
“Heard he tied up Miss Jads and left her in a water tower all night.” Kam chuckled drily. “You hear about that, hoss?”
“Enough,” Holder said. “Let’s just—”
Nags’s smile went as wide as the Maradaine River itself. “Oh, you know whatta I hear? I hear, couple moon back, dere was a whole row over in Seleth like? But not like just bar blokes having a tussle, no. A real ruckus, with monsters coming out of the ground.”
“What?” Nix asked. He looked incredulous at this.
“Monsters, sasa. Skin like leather, ten feet tall, hands like a bear’s claw. Tearing through the joint, except the Thorn, hesa fightin’ them. Knocking the monsters back down.”
“No.”
“I heard,” Burt said real quiet, “that in that fight, there was a guy who magicked himself into a giant winged snake, breathing fire. And this here Thorn, he jumped on top of it, wrapped his rope around its neck, and dragged it down to the ground.” That was the most words Holder had ever heard out of Burt in one go.
“He kill it?” Nix asked.
Burt shrugged. “I just hear things.”
“And this guy, he knocks down dealers like us?”
“Boy already saying like us,” Kam said.
“Listen,” Holder said, going over to one of the crates. “You just do your job, and you’ll get paid. Try to keep a low profile, and you’ll be fine.”
“Right,” Nix said. “So, where’s the stuff to sell?”
“Burt?” Holder said. “Give him a bit to start.”
Burt opened up a panel in the wall, and dragged out the trunk. He opened it up and got out a couple vials of efhân and brought it over to Nix.
“You sell that, you come back with eight crowns, and you get to walk out of here with half a crown in your pocket.”
“And if I don’t?” Nix asked.
“Then you don’t walk,” Burt said, looming over the kid.
“Huh,” Nix said, looking at the vials in his hand. “You know, I think I heard a story about this Thorn fellow you’re on about.”
“Oh?” Holder asked.
“I hear,” Nix said, a slight grin appearing on his face, “that he is really good at disguising himself.”
“You—” Holder realized a moment too late. Nix’s whole body blurred as he threw the vials in Burt’s face, and suddenly he was wearing a flowing red cloak and hood, his face hidden in shadow, and he was holding a quarterstaff. Holder grabbed a crossbow off his desk. “Get him!”
But the Thorn—rutting blazes, it was the Thorn right rutting here—was already a whirlwind with that staff, knocking Burt two, three, four times. Burt stumbled backward as Holder raised up his crossbow and shot. But by the time he had pulled the trigger, the Thorn had already jumped onto Kam, and Holden’s shot went into Burt’s body.
The big guy dropped down.
“I am so glad the stories are out there,” the Thorn said as he sent Kam to the floor like a sack of potatoes. “Because it really warms my heart to hear them.”
Holder scrambled to reload his crossbow, his finger trembling. The Thorn’s attention was on Nags. With a flick of his wrist, his great rope whipped off from his belt and wrapped around her. He lifted her off the ground with ease.
“It all true?” Nags asked.
“Monsters, dragon, trash like you,” the Thorn said. “All in a day’s work.”
He casually tossed her across the room, crashing onto Holder. The two of them went tumbling into the wall. Holder cracked his head against the stone, sending his mind whirling into darkness.
“And I appreciate you all making it so easy,” Holder heard the Thorn say as his awareness turned fuzzy and gray. “I am a very busy man.”
Every pub in Aventil was terrible, but each one was at least terrible in its own special way. Colin Tyson hadn’t come to terms with the Old Canal’s brand of terrible, but the Old Canal was his pub now, so he had to accept that.
But the folks in this place couldn’t make a decent striker to save their lives. Colin had considered threatening to stab the cook just to test that theory, but he decided that would be bad for morale.
And since the Old Canal, and the block on Orchid around it, was about all the street that his pathetic scrap of a gang, The Sons of Tyson, had control over, morale was about the only thing he had to hold on to.
“You gonna eat that?” Sella asked him. He had to admit, of all the Princes he thought might walk with him, stand by him as part of his new gang, he never would have guessed Sella. When she was part of his crew here on Orchid—that whole crew was never loyal to him in the first place—Sella was about as useful as loose button. All she cared about was scoring doph off of the sew-up below their flop. But here she was, next to him all the same.
