From the Blurb:
If a megalomaniacal earth mage kidnaps your little sister, do you:
A) Kill him
B) Kill him
C) Kill him
D) Magically indenture yourself to him to ensure her safe return
Welsh water horse Nevan Quirke would have happily opted for A, B, or C, but had no idea where his sister was hidden—so, option D it is. He’s not a fool, though. He made sure to limit his obligation to a single task.
Unfortunately, he neglected to nail down a few tiny details before the geas brand was seared into his skin, and now:
A) He can’t shift
B) He can’t swim
C) He can’t drink
D) If he fails, he’ll be bound to the mage for eternity
Oh, and that task? Assist in an assassination.
If only he weren’t so thirsty.
And if only his partner for the heinous job weren’t the most appealing man Nevan has seen in his entire thousand-year life.
Assassin by Accident takes place in E.J. Russell’s Mythmatched universe and is part of the multi-author Carnival of Mysteries series. Each book stands alone, but each one includes at least one visit to Errante Ame’s Carnival of Mysteries, a magical, multiverse traveling show full of unusual acts, games, and rides. The Carnival changes to suit the world it’s on, so each visit is unique and special. This book features grumpy/sunshiny, hurt/comfort, mistaken identity, opposites attract, unexpected derring-do, and of course an HEA—no matter how little the men in question think they deserve it.
Excerpt:
Seb settled on a stool at the opposite end from his spill victim, hooking his feet on the rungs and tucking his bulky backpack between them. His trainers were new for the occasion and more expensive than he could really afford, which was another reason he was anxious for this job. It paid really freaking well.
He wrapped both hands around the cup, glad for the warmth. It was early June in Portland, which meant cool and drizzly, and although he was wearing his North Face anorak, Seb’s hands were still cold. They always were when he got nervous.
“You here for the job?” growled a low voice in his ear.
Seb jolted, nearly spilling the latte, and swiveled around on the stool. His eyes widened and he gulped, because the enormous man behind him didn’t fit Seb’s idea of a high-end client rep. For one thing, he looked as though he’d been standing in the rain without an umbrella for half an hour because his curly black hair was soaked, and even the dark skin of his cheeks was dotted with moisture. Didn’t rich clients have drivers to cart their minions around? Or at least give said minions their own transportation, so they weren’t traipsing around in all weathers? Seb put it on his mental list of things to investigate someday but not currently relevant.
That list was getting alarmingly long. He’d started it when he was still in middle school, and to this date, had never removed a single item from it.
For another, this man looked really… rough. Not as in rough-dangerous, although with that scowl, he could definitely qualify in most people’s books. But rough as in ill. His lips were dry and chapped, his dark eyes sunken, his shoulders—his really wide shoulders—hunched as though he were protecting a pain-shot middle. In fact, he looked like he should be in bed, with somebody feeding him homemade chicken soup, or maybe in the nearest emergency department hooked up to an IV full of nutritive fluids. Surely high-end clients should have a health plan for their employees?
For a third, his clothing: The leather duster, the linen shirt, the dark suede vest with its brass buttons, the black—be still my heart—knee-high boots made him look as though he were about to make a grand entrance at the nearest ComiCon and totally rock the steampunk pirate cosplay. Were high-end clients that whimsical? Or maybe they just had really lax dress codes.
“Well?” the man rasped.
“Oh. Right.” He’d asked a question. “The job. Yes. Yes, I am.”
Assassin by Accident is currently available for preorder and will be part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription on August 16, 2023.
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