The Pilfering Dicer was a rather minor villain I’d assigned to the First Prince’s service after having disciplined him for bad behaviour. He had, you see, stolen luck from my soldiers. That was his trick, stealing luck from others. And tonight, with no story hanging above our heads to punish us for overstepping, I had no hesitation in using him against heroes. I got a hesitant nod from the young man in reply and he dipped into his Name a moment later. Three heartbeats later, the Astrologer’s horse saw something move in the grass it got spooked. She got shaken right off the saddle, landing on her back with strength enough it would bruise.

I coldly smiled.

“Well done,” I praised through the Night, even as Hanno’s face hardened.

“That was an attack,” he called out at the gate. “I felt it. Enough of these games.”

- Book 7, Chapter 38: Salvo