A whole day passed without the return of Darion or his sister, River. Drake was considering sending out one of his battle maids to look for him when, during supper, a knock finally came on the door to his chambers. Emily yanked open the door and then gasped.
“The fuck what happened to you?” she demanded.
Drake winced. Just this afternoon Emily had decided she was going to adopt “the words of her favorite manor lord,” except she was still figuring out the syntax and usage. At this rate, he was going to give all his thralls potty mouths.
“Well, get in here!” Emily gestured hurriedly. “You’re late for supper.”
Darion entered at once. “I’m so sorry, lord. I won’t be late again.” He still wore the fine clothes he’d worn to the meeting this morning, though there was a noticeable stain on one knee. Also, while he’d obviously tried his best to cover it with blush, his cheek was bruised.
Hesitantly, River—who looked visibly more disheveled than she had as Lark—entered the room as well. She wore simple peasant clothing now, a plain white tunic, dark-colored pants, and boots, but all were muddier than he’d expect from her.
She’d gotten beaten up again! So who had she killed this time? As much as it was obvious she’d been in a fight, Drake suspected she’d given worse than she’d got.
Still, this was a problem. Drake rose from the table where he’d been enjoying a modest dinner with Lydia, Emily, and his mother. “What happened?” he demanded coldly.
Darion winced. “It was my fault, lord. Before I found River, I failed to—”
River placed a warning hand on her brother’s arm. “Our tardiness was my doing. You need not trouble yourself about any of this.” She focused her calm, almost regal gaze on Drake. “You have already done far too much for me, lord, including accepting my brother into your manor’s ranks, so I cannot possibly ask—”
“Stop that right now,” Drake ordered. “I don’t care whose fault whatever happened to you is, and I’m not in the mood to hear anything about debts. Just tell me. What happened?” If one of the other manor lords had attacked them, they were going to throw down.
Darion glanced at River, who shook her head, then looked back at Drake. “We were inconvenienced, but you need not worry, lord. We were able to evade the scoundrels.”
“Which scoundrels? I’ll remind you, Darion, that you are now a thrall of House Gloomwood. An attack on you is an attack on all of us.” Or at least that sounded right.
“It was not an attack on Gloomwood Manor,” River insisted. “Do not let it trouble you.”
“Tell me,” Drake said darkly. “Before I lose my patience.”
“Sailors from the Redfoot crew took exception to my presence when I arrived to speak to River,” Darion said immediately. “However, they did not know I had joined Gloomwood Manor until after it came to blows. That was a misunderstanding, one which we resolved.”
“We handled the issue, lord,” River assured him. “These men will never darken your doorstep. You need not involve yourself in such a trivial matter. They are beneath you.”
Drake grinned dangerously. “Oh, they might be, but it might still be fun to beat up some pirates. My evil manor lord persona could use some burnishing. Why were they hassling you?”
“They offered me an opportunity to join them,” River said calmly.
“And do you wish to join them?” Pirate River could probably kick some decent ass.
“I would be able to take care of myself.”
“Doing what? Sailing?” At her lack of any response, Drake understood. “I see.”
She frowned. “It’s no different from my prior work, and I can take care of myself.”
It seemed since she couldn’t find work in the capital, a privateer crew had offered to take River on as their personal courtesan, which would suck. “I don’t disapprove. Still, I’d imagine the clientele are a lot smellier, and the pay is shit. Why not test with us instead?”
She appeared truly baffled by that. “Test, lord?”
“For a position in my manor.”
She gasped. “But lord, I have no rarity!” She went completely calm as a new possibility registered, and then she smoothed down her tunic and straightened her stance. “But if you wish to engage my other services, I would be honored.”
“I don’t need you for that,” Drake assured her quickly. “Just so you know, Fox is here as well. Hector. I’m thinking about adding him to my manor just like you, for... servant stuff.”
River’s eyes widened. “Hector was also removed from his house? I hadn’t heard.”
Drake nodded. “Before I finally took them down, the other manor lords fucked you both... and not in the fun way. They were pissed I beat them up at the cabal. So the fact that you’re no longer at Lark House is their fault, but also mine.”
Lark shook her head. “I do not blame you for that, lord.”
“That’s nice, but I blame me. You did good work for me, so I’d like to give you an opportunity to show me, and my manor, what else you might be able to do for us.”
She looked visibly intrigued now. “Like what, lord?”
Drake glanced at the three women who had, so far, been sitting quietly at the table. “Lydia, you want to hop in here?”
She rose. “There are a number of tasks within the manor to which you may find yourself well suited. Most new thralls start with laundry or cooking, but after seeing you on the day of the cabal, I think you might be better suited running messages and errands. I imagine you are intimately familiar with the capital and all of its locations?”
“I am. I had to be.” River stared. “So... I could work in Gloomwood Manor?”
Drake could tell from the way her eyes glistened she was finally losing her composure.
“Yes.” Darion touched her shoulder. “You’ve been dealing with the most troublesome clients in the capital for years, not to mention those manor lords, and you ran rings around them.” He gasped, then looked to Drake and bowed. “Apologies! I did not mean—”
“You’re right,” Drake said. “Most manor lords are dicks. And no bowing.”
Darion straightened immediately.
“No need to decide now,” Drake assured River. “Here’s what’s going to happen for tonight. You’re going to stay here with us to recover, get some food and some sleep. Tomorrow morning, bright and early, Lydia will test both you and Hector to see what you can do.” He glanced at her. “Right? What time do we head to the beach?”
“We should set out about mid-morning, lord,” Lydia said.
“So you’d have time to evaluate them before that?”
“We could easily complete a basic evaluation of their skills and conduct a formal interview. I would see to it personally, with your permission.”
“I wouldn’t trust anyone else.”
“Hey!” Emily said. Then, she shrugged thoughtfully. “Though, that’s fair.”
“Lord, I...” River really did seem to be on the verge of tears, which, given what she likely dealt with most of the time, said something about her shitty night.
Darion touched her shoulder. “Lord Gloomwood, I can show my sister to the kitchens and get her settled. With your permission?”
Drake motioned with one hand. “Get some food in both of you, and then talk to Tamara about where she can bed down for the night. I’m sure we can find space.”
River wiped one eye and met his gaze. “I intend to impress you tomorrow.” She was absolutely serious about that.
“You’re already doing a good job of that,” Drake assured her. “Now go rest up.”
Once Darion and River had gone into the kitchens, which were connected to the larger servants’ quarters, Drake sat back down at his table and speared another bite of his food. It was a soft type of roast that was absolutely delectable in sauce, even without Meryl’s seasoning.
“That was kind,” Marissa said with a smile.
Drake popped the bite in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. “Too benevolent?”
“It will depend on what the young woman can do. Yet her words about her familiarity with the capital and her experience with so many in its higher echelons have roused a thought.”
Drake was genuinely curious now. “What thought?”
“One problem that manor lords sometimes run into is that they lack servants who can blend in with others who lack divine blood.” She was talking about her own experience. “As you can imagine, most anyone with a rarity is usually suspected of working for a manor.”
“I understand rarities are important, but they aren’t everything.”
“Indeed. While River could prove suitable for the work Lydia suggested, especially errands, I believe you might find another use for a young, attractive, highly intelligent woman well-versed in gaining the trust of people from all backgrounds. One who, because she lacks divine blood, will be easily trusted. A woman experienced at thinking on her feet.”
Drake speared another bit of roast and nodded as his mother came to the same conclusions he had not long ago. “You think she might make a good spy.”
“I cannot say that with certainty, of course. Yet I have never known a capital courtesan to meet any success without developing impressive survival instincts and an ability to reorient or deescalate dangerous situations. Lark House is among the top houses in such respects.”
“It would be dangerous for her.”
“It could be, lord.”
“But it also might be exactly the type of work she’d be most suited for, given her background, and it would be useful to me. I certainly don’t have any folks who know their way around a capital as well as River probably does. She also knows a lot more about blending in with whoever.” He looked to Lydia. “Do you have any tests that check for proficiency as a spy?”
“Some of the tests we have already screen for such skills, lord,” Lydia agreed. “And Lady Marissa is correct. A woman like River, who was born here, and who has spent her whole life in the capital, and who has worked her way from modest means up to the position she held before the cabal... such a woman could be well suited for a role in Samuel’s employ.”
“Only if you think she can do it, and only if she wants it,” Drake said. “If we end up with just another exceptionally skilled scullery maid, I’ll sleep fine.”
“I can think of another way you’d sleep fine,” Emily said playfully.
He glanced at her. “That’s enough horny for today. Seriously. If you need to go find yourself a courtesan, you have my permission. Just be back by beach time.”
“Can I take Lydia with me?” Emily asked hopefully.
Drake glanced at her. “Do you want to go bang a courtesan?”
Lydia immediately blushed bright red. “I have other responsibilities here, lord.”
Emily stood. “Oh, I get it!” She grinned Lydia’s way. “Your big responsibility.” She glanced down at the table, then at Drake. “You’re certain you can do without me for tonight?”
“Yes!” Drake said. “We’ve all had a few very stimulating weeks, so if you need to go get some R and R of your own, go. I think we’ll all be more comfortable if you were... relaxed.”
Emily glanced at Lydia. “Mistress?”
“I have no objection,” Lydia said calmly.
Emily smacked one fist into her palm. “I’ll be back before sunrise.”
Drake eyed her. “Have fun.”
“That will depend on if I find anyone who can give me a challenge.” Emily marched halfway to the door before she stopped and gasped. “Oh! I need to change first.” She darted off for the quarters reserved for his battle maids.
Drake glanced ruefully at Marissa. “Did you ever deal with this?”
“In my capacity advising manor lords?” Marissa asked.
“It’s just us now, Mom. How often did your battle maids need to get laid?”
“Emily is young and athletic, and warriors often live short lives.” Marissa shrugged. “She should enjoy herself while she can. So long as she is careful, I see no harm in a little fun.”
“Good. Same here.” As he glanced at Lydia, he decided he couldn’t a little teasing. “Sure you’re not going to join her? It might be your last chance for a while.”
Lydia kept her face entirely calm. “I am not interested in that sort of entertainment tonight. Also, if we are to attend the beach tomorrow, I would prefer to avoid the bruising.”
That immediately made Drake frown. “The what now?”
At his growing glower, she winced. “Let me clarify. Emily has been restless, but not for the reasons that you suspect.”
“Lydia, she has been a walking HR violation these past few days.”
“That is because you were abducted by the noble court, and she was not allowed to chop anyone. You were in danger, yet she was not allowed to fight a battle to save you. She has fought no battles before or since. You see, lord, I believe Emily is—”
“Back soon!” Emily shouted.
She emerged from the maid’s room wearing a plain brown tunic and pants that might be suitable for a night out on the town, but also wouldn’t be out of place on a dusty road. She opened the door, hurried outside, and slammed it behind her.
“What?” Drake asked. “She’s what, Lydia?”
Lydia sighed. “If I had to bet, lord, I would say she is going out to pick herself a fight.”
Author Note: Before you go, I have a publishing announcement! My latest trad press novel, Mind Burn, is out today from Blackstone Publishing in e-book, audio, paperback, and hardcover. While it's obviously not the same genre as Rise of a Manor Lord, it's still a fun scifi/cyberpunk story with a cast of characters I adore.
My latest book was heavily inspired by classic sci-fi/police anime such as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Psycho-Pass, along with thrillers like Minority Report and more recently, Altered Carbon. The blurb is below. If you've enjoyed reading Rise of a Manor Lord and would like to check out more of my work, I hope you'll consider picking it up or recommending it to your friends.
Thank you!
Mind Burn: A Cyberpunk Mystery/Thriller
It’s understandable to be nervous when your new employer tasks you with investigating the first successful mass shooting in twelve years.
Fortunately, detective-in-training Cowan Soto has a Personal Brain Assistant—a cybernetic implant—that allows him to firewall pesky emotions like worry and guilt and redact memories of bullet-riddled corpses.
Unfortunately, Cowan soon learns it was his suspect’s PBA which allowed a ruthless hacker to puppet her into a shooting rampage.
Aided by a veteran investigator, a brilliant CFO, a nihilistic cybercriminal, and the best waifu madam in Kearny Mesa, Cowan must wade through a gauntlet of homicidal professional gamers, the Russian mafia, and the board of OneWorld to bring this ruthless puppetmaster to justice.
All the while, the brand new detective is concealing the fact that he’s the exact type of criminal OneWorld has hired him to arrest: a loose circuit—a human unbound by behavioral modification protocols.
Minority Report meets Ready Player One in this breakneck science fiction thriller from USA Today bestselling author Rhett C. Bruno and T. E. Bakutis. It’s perfect for fans of Douglas E Richards, Richard K. Morgan, and William Gibson.
Full of action, mystery, and loads of cybernetic future-tech, Mind Burn explores the very question of what it means to be free.
A whole day passed without the return of Darion or his sister, River. Drake was considering sending out one of his battle maids to look for him when, during supper, a knock finally came on the door to his chambers. Emily yanked open the door and then gasped.
“The fuck what happened to you?” she demanded.
Drake winced. Just this afternoon Emily had decided she was going to adopt “the words of her favorite manor lord,” except she was still figuring out the syntax and usage. At this rate, he was going to give all his thralls potty mouths.
“Well, get in here!” Emily gestured hurriedly. “You’re late for supper.”
Darion entered at once. “I’m so sorry, lord. I won’t be late again.” He still wore the fine clothes he’d worn to the meeting this morning, though there was a noticeable stain on one knee. Also, while he’d obviously tried his best to cover it with blush, his cheek was bruised.
Hesitantly, River—who looked visibly more disheveled than she had as Lark—entered the room as well. She wore simple peasant clothing now, a plain white tunic, dark-colored pants, and boots, but all were muddier than he’d expect from her.
She’d gotten beaten up again! So who had she killed this time? As much as it was obvious she’d been in a fight, Drake suspected she’d given worse than she’d got.
Still, this was a problem. Drake rose from the table where he’d been enjoying a modest dinner with Lydia, Emily, and his mother. “What happened?” he demanded coldly.
Darion winced. “It was my fault, lord. Before I found River, I failed to—”
River placed a warning hand on her brother’s arm. “Our tardiness was my doing. You need not trouble yourself about any of this.” She focused her calm, almost regal gaze on Drake. “You have already done far too much for me, lord, including accepting my brother into your manor’s ranks, so I cannot possibly ask—”
“Stop that right now,” Drake ordered. “I don’t care whose fault whatever happened to you is, and I’m not in the mood to hear anything about debts. Just tell me. What happened?” If one of the other manor lords had attacked them, they were going to throw down.
Darion glanced at River, who shook her head, then looked back at Drake. “We were inconvenienced, but you need not worry, lord. We were able to evade the scoundrels.”
“Which scoundrels? I’ll remind you, Darion, that you are now a thrall of House Gloomwood. An attack on you is an attack on all of us.” Or at least that sounded right.
“It was not an attack on Gloomwood Manor,” River insisted. “Do not let it trouble you.”
“Tell me,” Drake said darkly. “Before I lose my patience.”
“Sailors from the Redfoot crew took exception to my presence when I arrived to speak to River,” Darion said immediately. “However, they did not know I had joined Gloomwood Manor until after it came to blows. That was a misunderstanding, one which we resolved.”
“We handled the issue, lord,” River assured him. “These men will never darken your doorstep. You need not involve yourself in such a trivial matter. They are beneath you.”
Drake grinned dangerously. “Oh, they might be, but it might still be fun to beat up some pirates. My evil manor lord persona could use some burnishing. Why were they hassling you?”
“They offered me an opportunity to join them,” River said calmly.
“And do you wish to join them?” Pirate River could probably kick some decent ass.
“I would be able to take care of myself.”
“Doing what? Sailing?” At her lack of any response, Drake understood. “I see.”
She frowned. “It’s no different from my prior work, and I can take care of myself.”
It seemed since she couldn’t find work in the capital, a privateer crew had offered to take River on as their personal courtesan, which would suck. “I don’t disapprove. Still, I’d imagine the clientele are a lot smellier, and the pay is shit. Why not test with us instead?”
She appeared truly baffled by that. “Test, lord?”
“For a position in my manor.”
She gasped. “But lord, I have no rarity!” She went completely calm as a new possibility registered, and then she smoothed down her tunic and straightened her stance. “But if you wish to engage my other services, I would be honored.”
“I don’t need you for that,” Drake assured her quickly. “Just so you know, Fox is here as well. Hector. I’m thinking about adding him to my manor just like you, for... servant stuff.”
River’s eyes widened. “Hector was also removed from his house? I hadn’t heard.”
Drake nodded. “Before I finally took them down, the other manor lords fucked you both... and not in the fun way. They were pissed I beat them up at the cabal. So the fact that you’re no longer at Lark House is their fault, but also mine.”
Lark shook her head. “I do not blame you for that, lord.”
“That’s nice, but I blame me. You did good work for me, so I’d like to give you an opportunity to show me, and my manor, what else you might be able to do for us.”
She looked visibly intrigued now. “Like what, lord?”
Drake glanced at the three women who had, so far, been sitting quietly at the table. “Lydia, you want to hop in here?”
She rose. “There are a number of tasks within the manor to which you may find yourself well suited. Most new thralls start with laundry or cooking, but after seeing you on the day of the cabal, I think you might be better suited running messages and errands. I imagine you are intimately familiar with the capital and all of its locations?”
“I am. I had to be.” River stared. “So... I could work in Gloomwood Manor?”
Drake could tell from the way her eyes glistened she was finally losing her composure.
“Yes.” Darion touched her shoulder. “You’ve been dealing with the most troublesome clients in the capital for years, not to mention those manor lords, and you ran rings around them.” He gasped, then looked to Drake and bowed. “Apologies! I did not mean—”
“You’re right,” Drake said. “Most manor lords are dicks. And no bowing.”
Darion straightened immediately.
“No need to decide now,” Drake assured River. “Here’s what’s going to happen for tonight. You’re going to stay here with us to recover, get some food and some sleep. Tomorrow morning, bright and early, Lydia will test both you and Hector to see what you can do.” He glanced at her. “Right? What time do we head to the beach?”
“We should set out about mid-morning, lord,” Lydia said.
“So you’d have time to evaluate them before that?”
“We could easily complete a basic evaluation of their skills and conduct a formal interview. I would see to it personally, with your permission.”
“I wouldn’t trust anyone else.”
“Hey!” Emily said. Then, she shrugged thoughtfully. “Though, that’s fair.”
“Lord, I...” River really did seem to be on the verge of tears, which, given what she likely dealt with most of the time, said something about her shitty night.
Darion touched her shoulder. “Lord Gloomwood, I can show my sister to the kitchens and get her settled. With your permission?”
Drake motioned with one hand. “Get some food in both of you, and then talk to Tamara about where she can bed down for the night. I’m sure we can find space.”
River wiped one eye and met his gaze. “I intend to impress you tomorrow.” She was absolutely serious about that.
“You’re already doing a good job of that,” Drake assured her. “Now go rest up.”
Once Darion and River had gone into the kitchens, which were connected to the larger servants’ quarters, Drake sat back down at his table and speared another bite of his food. It was a soft type of roast that was absolutely delectable in sauce, even without Meryl’s seasoning.
“That was kind,” Marissa said with a smile.
Drake popped the bite in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. “Too benevolent?”
“It will depend on what the young woman can do. Yet her words about her familiarity with the capital and her experience with so many in its higher echelons have roused a thought.”
Drake was genuinely curious now. “What thought?”
“One problem that manor lords sometimes run into is that they lack servants who can blend in with others who lack divine blood.” She was talking about her own experience. “As you can imagine, most anyone with a rarity is usually suspected of working for a manor.”
“I understand rarities are important, but they aren’t everything.”
“Indeed. While River could prove suitable for the work Lydia suggested, especially errands, I believe you might find another use for a young, attractive, highly intelligent woman well-versed in gaining the trust of people from all backgrounds. One who, because she lacks divine blood, will be easily trusted. A woman experienced at thinking on her feet.”
Drake speared another bit of roast and nodded as his mother came to the same conclusions he had not long ago. “You think she might make a good spy.”
“I cannot say that with certainty, of course. Yet I have never known a capital courtesan to meet any success without developing impressive survival instincts and an ability to reorient or deescalate dangerous situations. Lark House is among the top houses in such respects.”
“It would be dangerous for her.”
“It could be, lord.”
“But it also might be exactly the type of work she’d be most suited for, given her background, and it would be useful to me. I certainly don’t have any folks who know their way around a capital as well as River probably does. She also knows a lot more about blending in with whoever.” He looked to Lydia. “Do you have any tests that check for proficiency as a spy?”
“Some of the tests we have already screen for such skills, lord,” Lydia agreed. “And Lady Marissa is correct. A woman like River, who was born here, and who has spent her whole life in the capital, and who has worked her way from modest means up to the position she held before the cabal... such a woman could be well suited for a role in Samuel’s employ.”
“Only if you think she can do it, and only if she wants it,” Drake said. “If we end up with just another exceptionally skilled scullery maid, I’ll sleep fine.”
“I can think of another way you’d sleep fine,” Emily said playfully.
He glanced at her. “That’s enough horny for today. Seriously. If you need to go find yourself a courtesan, you have my permission. Just be back by beach time.”
“Can I take Lydia with me?” Emily asked hopefully.
Drake glanced at her. “Do you want to go bang a courtesan?”
Lydia immediately blushed bright red. “I have other responsibilities here, lord.”
Emily stood. “Oh, I get it!” She grinned Lydia’s way. “Your big responsibility.” She glanced down at the table, then at Drake. “You’re certain you can do without me for tonight?”
“Yes!” Drake said. “We’ve all had a few very stimulating weeks, so if you need to go get some R and R of your own, go. I think we’ll all be more comfortable if you were... relaxed.”
Emily glanced at Lydia. “Mistress?”
“I have no objection,” Lydia said calmly.
Emily smacked one fist into her palm. “I’ll be back before sunrise.”
Drake eyed her. “Have fun.”
“That will depend on if I find anyone who can give me a challenge.” Emily marched halfway to the door before she stopped and gasped. “Oh! I need to change first.” She darted off for the quarters reserved for his battle maids.
Drake glanced ruefully at Marissa. “Did you ever deal with this?”
“In my capacity advising manor lords?” Marissa asked.
“It’s just us now, Mom. How often did your battle maids need to get laid?”
“Emily is young and athletic, and warriors often live short lives.” Marissa shrugged. “She should enjoy herself while she can. So long as she is careful, I see no harm in a little fun.”
“Good. Same here.” As he glanced at Lydia, he decided he couldn’t a little teasing. “Sure you’re not going to join her? It might be your last chance for a while.”
Lydia kept her face entirely calm. “I am not interested in that sort of entertainment tonight. Also, if we are to attend the beach tomorrow, I would prefer to avoid the bruising.”
That immediately made Drake frown. “The what now?”
At his growing glower, she winced. “Let me clarify. Emily has been restless, but not for the reasons that you suspect.”
“Lydia, she has been a walking HR violation these past few days.”
“That is because you were abducted by the noble court, and she was not allowed to chop anyone. You were in danger, yet she was not allowed to fight a battle to save you. She has fought no battles before or since. You see, lord, I believe Emily is—”
“Back soon!” Emily shouted.
She emerged from the maid’s room wearing a plain brown tunic and pants that might be suitable for a night out on the town, but also wouldn’t be out of place on a dusty road. She opened the door, hurried outside, and slammed it behind her.
“What?” Drake asked. “She’s what, Lydia?”
Lydia sighed. “If I had to bet, lord, I would say she is going out to pick herself a fight.”
Author Note: Before you go, I have a publishing announcement! My latest trad press novel, Mind Burn, is out today from Blackstone Publishing in e-book, audio, paperback, and hardcover. While it's obviously not the same genre as Rise of a Manor Lord, it's still a fun scifi/cyberpunk story with a cast of characters I adore.
My latest book was heavily inspired by classic sci-fi/police anime such as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Psycho-Pass, along with thrillers like Minority Report and more recently, Altered Carbon. The blurb is below. If you've enjoyed reading Rise of a Manor Lord and would like to check out more of my work, I hope you'll consider picking it up or recommending it to your friends.
Thank you!
Mind Burn: A Cyberpunk Mystery/Thriller
It’s understandable to be nervous when your new employer tasks you with investigating the first successful mass shooting in twelve years.
Fortunately, detective-in-training Cowan Soto has a Personal Brain Assistant—a cybernetic implant—that allows him to firewall pesky emotions like worry and guilt and redact memories of bullet-riddled corpses.
Unfortunately, Cowan soon learns it was his suspect’s PBA which allowed a ruthless hacker to puppet her into a shooting rampage.
Aided by a veteran investigator, a brilliant CFO, a nihilistic cybercriminal, and the best waifu madam in Kearny Mesa, Cowan must wade through a gauntlet of homicidal professional gamers, the Russian mafia, and the board of OneWorld to bring this ruthless puppetmaster to justice.
All the while, the brand new detective is concealing the fact that he’s the exact type of criminal OneWorld has hired him to arrest: a loose circuit—a human unbound by behavioral modification protocols.
Minority Report meets Ready Player One in this breakneck science fiction thriller from USA Today bestselling author Rhett C. Bruno and T. E. Bakutis. It’s perfect for fans of Douglas E Richards, Richard K. Morgan, and William Gibson.
Full of action, mystery, and loads of cybernetic future-tech, Mind Burn explores the very question of what it means to be free.
