A Clash of Sword and Stone -- Prequel to the The Stoneweaver Saga

When a failed expedition leads to the deaths of an entire cohort of Nenevah's soldiers, she sends her top spy and assassin, De Mauriac, to accomplish the formidable task of acquiring an asset she desperately needs. A slave to his addiction for the 'blossom on the vine', De Mauriac must bring back his quarry or the sorceress will let him perish from withdrawal. To travel through the bandit infested Scabrous Hills and onward into the Poisonous Waste, De Mauriac relies upon a cutthroat band of brigands for protection. Haunted by his past and facing an impending mutiny from the brigands, he discovers his target to be only a boy, known as a 'stoneweaver', who has a prodigious natural power to bend stone to his will. After the kidnapping, De Mauriac and his men soon discover that their lives are at risk when the boy begins to use his magic to exact revenge upon them. Finding inspiration in the boy's rebellious nature, De Mauriac begins plotting a means to defy Nenevah and acquire his own freedom. Stoneweaver: A Clash of Sword and Stone is a prequel novella to The Dread Magic Saga, an epic fantasy series, combining gritty old western inspired characters with a coming-of-age tale that features dark and surprising twists.