Rogues at Daybreak: #minithology

By N.D. Gray, Roan Rosser, Heidi Moone and Max Florence

WHAT WOULD FORCE A ROGUE FROM THE SHADOWS?

Not much can convince a rogue to leave the shadows and step into the light. The rogues in this #minithology are faced with difficult choices. To remain in the shadows would mean they lose something. A chance at love, their anonymity, the opportunity for a different career, or maybe someone else's life.

In the chaos of the moment, such choices are difficult to make. Fortunately, rogues often…

 

DARE TO RISK ALL

Authors Max Florence, N.D. Gray, Heidi Moone, and Roan Rosser have crafted four exhilarating stories about daring rogues stepping from the shadows to change their worlds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Naomi Glasarth
• Release date: Nov 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223826705

Book preview

Worse Than a Curse

A gnome rogue. A traveling spotlight. A wish gone awry.

How can Nelko continue to aid her adventurer friends if she can’t sneak through the shadows?

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Bona Fide Trouble

Besides stealth skills and the ability to enter hard-to-access places, an exceptional rogue is also a skilled confidence trickster. As Constance watches her new neighbors move in, she’s certain it takes one to know one.

What are her neighbors up to and does she have the skills to con the cons?

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Tira’s Diary

In a friendless monastery, orphan Tira maintains her sanity by writing letters to her mother. Then someone takes the diary from her.

Lost without the only thing in the world she cares about, Tira will have to do what she’s never done to regain what is rightfully hers.

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Game Changer

The world has fallen into war, but five Houses remain at peace. To channel their competitive natures, they play the game of the Golden Pearl.

Roguish thief extraordinaire, Tor Nightvane has been hired to steal the Golden Pearl. Again. On his way to do so, he discovers that all may not be as it seems. His life, and the life of another, hang in the balance.

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This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

#minithology: freelance heroes one

Rogues at Daybreak,

All rights reserved.

Introduction and related writing, ©copyright 2024, ND Gray

Cover and interior art and design ©copyright 2024 3FeathersPublishing

ISBNS Paperback: 978-1-947344-32-7

Bona Fide Trouble ©copyright 2023 Heidi Moone

Game Changer ©copyright 2023 ND Gray

Tira’s Diary ©copyright 2023 Max Florence

Worse Than a Curse ©copyright 2023 Roan Rosser

Contents

Introduction

1.Worse Than a Curse

2.Bona Fide Trouble

3.Tira's Diary

4.Game Changer

Also By

Introduction

I am not a good rogue. I wouldn’t say I am an impatient person, but sneaking around just isn’t my style. The Outlaw rogue I play in World of Warcraft is specialized in combat. Her opening movies do not require her to be in stealth mode. She simply runs up and shoots her enemy in the foot before stabbing them through the heart.

Most readers want a little more subtlety in their rogues. (No pun intended, fellow Azerothians.)

They expect to find thieves or assassins slipping through the shadows. They want masters of stealth who use their brains instead of brawn. Patient characters with catlike agility and night vision. Sometimes magical; always skillful.

From Robin Hood and the Grey Mouser to Bilbo Baggins and Lara Croft, rogues have captured our attention and our hearts. Whether they make us laugh or give us chills, we enjoy following them on their missions.

The rogues featured in this #minithology are a mixed bag of tricks. Some are inexperienced. Some are old hats. Human and nonhuman. Funny or serious. But each one embodies the traits of a rogue. And each one faces a choice that will change their life or the life of another. In the dark of night, each must give up something to make tomorrow brighter.

Brew yourself a cup of Breakfast tea or morning coffee and prepare yourself to meet our rogues at daybreak.

ND Gray

September 2023

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Worse Than a Curse

Roan Rosser

Roan Rosser naturally walks with a light step, but he sneezes. Loudly. On more than one occasion, he frightened people around him because they didn’t hear him walk up before he sneezed.

Such a curse would not be good for his character, a gnome rogue. Or maybe it would. She’s tired of being in the background and taken for granted. When the spotlight finally comes her way, she realizes the background might not have been a bad place to be.

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I peered down into the throne room. The warlock sat on the throne, yelling at the messenger kneeling in front of him. The poor gal was probably delivering news of the mess my group had made of his guards. I had known one of them had gotten away, but it had been on purpose, letting her lead me right to where the leader hid.

The warlock had led a group who invaded the palace the day before yesterday. The warlock had taken the prince and princess hostage, and had demanded the king abdicate and declare him the new king. We’d been searching the palace for hours, trying to locate them without success.

Azahr, my group’s wizard and the brains of the operation, had speculated they would hole up somewhere defendable. The throne room was pretentious, but wide open with multiple entrances. Well, whatever, made our jobs easier.

Nobody looked up as the chandelier creaked. No one ever did. This magical ring that let me crawl on ceilings and walls was worth ten times what I’d paid. I considered just jumping down and ending him right there, but if I missed, I’d be dead. Even if I succeeded, the imposter’s minions would surround me. I traveled with a group because of that reason.

They waited back where I’d left them. Barheg, our dwarf healer, was fixing up Palladio, our swordsman who’d gotten a bit banged up from the imposter’s guards when he’d recklessly charged out into the hallway.

Nelko, there you are. Where are they hiding? Azahr asked as I entered the room. I was on the ceiling, so I don’t know how she knew I was there. She was the only one of our group who ever seemed to notice me. And how hard is it going to be to pry him out?

Get this, I said, jumping down to land beside her. She lifted the hem of her robe, pulling it out of my way right before I landed. He’s in the throne room.

You’re kidding. Azahr snapped her book shut and stood, robes billowing out as if lifted by an invisible wind. Show off. Azahr was an elf, and she towered over me. But I was used to it. As a gnome, everyone did.

I outlined my ‘death from above’ plan for everyone. While they took on the guards, I’d sneak in and take him out from behind.

Be careful, Azahr said as I double checked my hair bun, making sure the double needles holding it in place were secure. Then began climbing back up the wall.

I always am, I said.

The imposter is a warlock. I’m not familiar with his patron god, so I don’t know what his powers could be or what spells he might cast.

I wasn’t worried. Doesn’t matter if he never has time to cast, I shot back over my shoulder with a wink.

With my advance scouting, we easily avoided the patrolling guards on our way to the throne room. Then, while my companions dispatched the guards in the hall as a distraction, I crawled along the ceiling until I hung over the warlock’s head. I didn’t have a suitable target for my blades when he was sitting. He wore a helmet with horns that curved back down to his chin, protecting his neck and head, while the throne’s back protected his rear.

With a roar, Palladio charged into the room, sword held at the read. Barheg ran after him, shorter legs pumping, gold light glowing around his hands. Azahr, her red robes flapping, brought up the rear, her staff raised above her head and a spell sparking from the gem set into the gnarled branches at the top.

The warlock let out a roaring laugh and gestured. My companions froze, outlined in dark blue light. Ugh, everything was going wrong. I flexed my hand, but the spell hadn’t affected me. So not everything then, at least. But I still needed the villain to stand up.

He began monologing to my frozen friends. Blah blah blah, the kingdom is mine, blah blah, ultimate plan. Boring really. This guy, really. Stand up already. His speech finally ended, and he stood,