The Rose and the Thorn

A year after their formation, the notorious partnership of Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater finds itself drawn back to Medford, and to Gwen DeLancy, the woman who once offered them sanctuary when all others had turned them away. Royce, in particular, has struggled to move past Gwen, and their return is met with a frosty reception: Gwen refuses to see them. It soon becomes clear that her aloofness is a protective shield, not for herself, but for them, against a powerful and dangerous noble who has abused her. Unbeknownst to her, she has misjudged the depths of Royce’s nature. While she was right to assume he wouldn’t be deterred by rank or power, she failed to comprehend the ruthless, vengeful capabilities hidden beneath his usually detached exterior. As the lines between justice and revenge blur, and the origins of their legendary thieving duo, Riyria, are forged in fire, Royce and Hadrian are forced to confront the dark consequences of their choices, proving that some debts demand a price far greater than gold.