The Lesser Devil

In a galaxy rife with political intrigue and ancient conspiracies, "The Lesser Devil" thrusts Crispin Marlowe, the overlooked youngest son of a noble house, into a desperate fight for survival. With his elder brother Hadrian gone and his powerful grandmother, the Duchess of Delos, on her deathbed, Crispin answers a summons that turns into a deadly trap. Whispers of treachery within the planetary court, hidden knives among the Duchess's own daughters, and a pervasive sense of peril surround him. Stranded and with limited allies—only his sister Sabine and a few injured guardsmen—Crispin, the 'least famous son' of House Marlowe, must rise to the occasion. He faces not only the immediate threats from those plotting against his family but also the insidious presence of cultists dwelling in the mountains surrounding his ancestral home. This novella sets the stage for a larger epic, exploring themes of lineage, betrayal, and the unexpected heroism found in the unlikeliest of individuals.