Best Served Cold

Styria in the springtime. It also implies conflict. Styria in the springtime. That implies getting even.

Nineteen years of blood have passed. The kingdom has been ravaged by the brutal battle between the bickering League of Eight and the merciless Grand Duke Orso. A deadly game of succession is being played behind the scenes by bankers, priests, and older, darker forces to determine who will rule as armies march, heads roll, and cities burn.

While war may be terrible, it's also a very profitable endeavor for Monza Murcatto, also known as the Snake of Talins, the most renowned and feared mercenary working for Duke Orso. She's become perhaps too popular for her employer's liking thanks to her triumphs. Murcatto's prize for being betrayed, tossed down a mountain, and left for dead is a damaged body and a fierce desire for retribution. Seven guys had to perish, no matter the cost.

Her supporters include the most cunning poisoner in Styria, the least trustworthy alcoholic in the region, a mass killer who is number-obsessed, and a Northman who only wants to do the right thing. The majority of the country is her enemy. And that's all before the world's most deadly man is sent to track her down and complete the task Duke Orso began...

Styria in the springtime. That implies getting even.