Rod (The Earth Trilogy Book 2)

Contrary to popular belief, not all Terrans are humans. There are plenty of creatures – some bipedal and some not – born on Terra but born free of humanity. These ‘non-human’ Terrans have lived successfully among the humans for longer than the humans have known, hiding behind fairy tales, myths, and legends.

Among these hidden Terrans is Rod, master of thievery, illusion, disguise, cons, and anything else he prefers. But even masters have their secrets and are not immune to the confines of a deal.

When an old friend shows up and asks for help, Rod is compelled to escort her and her young charge to safety. On the run, she asks him to research an ancient magical sword and steal from a shape-shifting psychopath while continuing to protect them.

Thankfully, Rod actually can be in a few places at once. Things get hairy when the trio barters passage onto a flying pirate ship and are discovered by a rival pirate, who then attacks and forces them into a pirate ship battle in the sky. At the same time, researching the sword reveals an underworld war brewing, leaving Rod to hunt down the root cause. Meanwhile, the lunar shape-shifter catches wind of Rod’s exploits, calling him out and presenting him with a choice; Rod can either walk away quietly or fight – possibly to the death.

Controlled perception is the name of the game, and Rod holds all the cards.