Markle Vanrick is cursed by the gods. Nothing in his life has ever worked out. So, when he works up the courage to leave home with only his lute, it’s only natural his money is stolen and he’s stuck without a way to get to his cousin’s farm.<br><br>Enter Frye Indori, a mischievous man who lives life to the fullest -- only because he’s a few steps away from being caught and killed. Blessed with magic from the goddess Magana, Frye fled his hometown to escape the clutches of the corrupt priestess performing evils in the goddess’s name. When he runs into helpless Markle, he feels obligated to show Markle there is some good in the world.<br><br>Like it or not, Markle gets caught up in Frye’s game of fox and hare. When the priestess finally catches them, Markle may have a few surprises of his own.

Music and Magic

Before he could, Frye did a quick pirouette and the embers died instantly. The dancer walked forward and took the lute from the wood and ashes. He gently placed it on the floor, as if it were a sick child being put to bed. His fingers wiped at the body, removing bits of ash. The strings were gone. The gut had burned up first. But the body looked whole. The fire hadn’t damaged it completely.


“Denying who you are doesn’t solve anything,” Frye said, his gaze still on the lute. “I didn’t tell you this to make you hate yourself. I did this because I want you to realize your potential. You’re powerful, so powerful that most of my spells don’t work on you. If you trained up, you’d be even stronger.”


Markle’s throat felt raw as he said, “I don’t want to be stronger. I don’t want anything to do with magic.”


Chapter 29