An action-packed novella from acclaimed fantasy author Brian Ruckley, following the adventures of the Free - the most feared mercenary company the world has ever seen.

For years the Free have sold their martial and magical skills to the highest bidder, winning countless victories that have overthrown kings and shaken empires.

Brennan is proud to serve in the Free's ranks. He has blooded his sword to defend the company's ideals of honour, freedom and justice, and he will gladly do so again. It is this devotion that now sees him riding hard on the heels of a band of slavers, who have burned two villages to the ground and escaped with sixty prisoners.

It has fallen to the Free to hunt the slavers down and rescue their captives - a simple task for soldiers of their skill.

Yet the Slavers have fled into the Empire of Orphans, a dangerous land of rumour and intrigue, where every step the Free take will bring them closer to the deadliest enemy they could ever face: the Orphanidons of the mad emperor.

But the Free have never backed down from a challenge.

Look out for further thrilling tales of the Free:

A TALE OF THE FREE: CORSAIR

A TALE OF THE FREE: EXILE