The Red Throne: The Glass Sultanate, #0

By Fuad Baloch

A dire warning scrawled in blood. Three days. A bored courtier.

Palvar Turka is disgruntled at the Sultan's court. He knows it's a great honor to represent his nation, but nothing has quite prepared him for the drudgery he faces every day.

When a priest is found dead, Palvar finally finds an opportunity to do something exciting. But even he couldn't have imagined the magnitude of this case. The dead priest has left a warning in his own blood, and the powerful magical artifact he'd been guarding is now missing.

Time is running out. The Sultanate will be celebrating its two hundredth anniversary in three days. That is, until Palvar can find those who've stolen the magical artifact.

Palvar must convince a skeptical inspector, and face up to powerful forces bent on discrediting him.

Failure is not an option.

If you like fast-paced mysteries set in exotic worlds, you'll love Fuad Baloch's tale of high stakes action. 

Read it now!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fuad Baloch
• Release date: Mar 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393021537

Fuad Baloch

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Book preview

1

Duty

Don’t k-kill me! Brother Jacek crawled backwards, his robes smearing his blood on the polished marble floor.

The bald man in the dark tunic smiled, a cruel curl of the lips that increased the terror in the priest’s heart tenfold. Only God decides who lives and who dies.

Brother Jacek coughed, his mouth filling with blood. But—

You’re lucky because you get to choose, said his attacker. He was a young, stoutly built man. A nondescript face Brother Jacek wouldn't have normally recalled. Die as a vile supporter of magi, or as a hero in the fight against them. Now give me the stone.

I… I don’t know what you speak of! Brother Jacek said, fighting a wave of darkness crashing into him. By all the gods, I don’t!

You have it, the bald man replied coolly as he looked around the deserted Husalmin temple. He took a half-step forward, red drops dripping from the dagger clutched in his hand. Brother Jacek let out a loud shriek. The dagger gleamed in the torchlight as his panicked cry reverberated in the empty chambers.

Help! Brother Jacek shouted.

His assailant stopped, cocking his head to one side. Brother Jacek swallowed. The hour was late, yet upbeat music wafted in through the large windows to either side. The city was celebrating tonight, would continue to do so for the next three days and nights, to mark the Sultanate’s glorious two hundred years. Not something Brother Jacek cared for much in the moment.

P-please…

Give me the stone, said the bald man. Or you shall share the fate of the others.

Brother Jacek blinked. The… others?

Both custodians are dead, old man.

Jumbled thoughts raced through Brother Jacek’s mind. Pain lanced at his sides and he closed his eyes, pressing harder into the wound in his stomach. He’d lost too much blood already, and now numbness was setting in.

Both custodians were dead. That meant he was the only one left alive.

My master is merciful, said the young man, his voice hard, strained. If you help me, maybe this pain will be your punishment enough.

Brother Jacek forced open his eyes, tried shaking his head. Despite the torches burning around them, it was getting harder to see properly. Y-you… p-promise?

You’re misguided. Flawed. A pause, accompanied by a distasteful pursing of the lips. But you’re also a Husalmin priest. Perhaps, you’ll learn from your mistakes.

Brother Jacek nodded, hope tearing at his heart, a tear trickling down his cheek. But— He raised a pleading hand as the bald man advanced menacingly. Please!

We don’t have much time.

They didn't have much time, this much Brother Jacek did know. More importantly, he didn't have much time. No matter what his attacker said, Brother Jacek had tended to enough dying soldiers to know the fate of stomach wounds like his. Yet, tendrils of desperate hope swirled in his heart.

Give it to me! urged the young man, waving his dagger. Repent and the Husalmin god shall show you mercy.

Brother Jacek moaned. Ever since he had been made a custodian, he had dreaded this day. Back then, he’d been a young man, invincible and indestructible. Time had caught up with him, and now he was the last custodian of his chain. There are other chains. Brother Jacek shook his head. Even if he took his secret to the grave, he doubted this fanatic would not pursue