The relentless pursuit of a fugitive brings a reluctant hunter to a city rife with treachery, where he finds himself at odds with a dubious smuggler.

When Shane zem’Arta fails to capture escaped con artist Daeven Kritcher, his reputation is put on the line. The Freeland spire lords he works for do not forgive easily. Leaving his crew behind, he chases Kritcher up the coast of Palimar to the seaside city of Estbye.

Shane reunites with Jon Therman, a smuggler with his own dubious agenda. Their goals align, but Shane’s target is no slouch. With the help of Jon’s clever daughter, Ella, Shane closes in on Kritcher. But things never seem to go Shane’s way, especially in this city.

The Smuggler’s Deal, a companion novella to K. R. Solberg and C. R. Jacobson’s Remnant, presents an intriguing introduction to the world of Palimar, where immortals rule from splendid temples and their enemies lurk in grand towers. In this treacherous world of cults, magic, and guns, only the most cunning mortals survive.