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Tales of the Left Hand

Tales of the Left Hand is a series of fantasy stories written by John Meagher. He has made the first two books available as free digital audiobooks, which he narrates.

In the tropical-island region known as the Frees, magic is growing stronger, and gunpowder is becoming less reliable. Amid this world of “swashbuckling, intrigue and a dash of magic,” two adventurers literally run into each other and are forced to fight together against pirates, sinister assassins and powerful merchant families, in the process developing a most unlikely friendship.

Tesca is the Left Hand, a spy and assassin serving the Duke of Kohaya, ruler of one of the independent realms within the Frees. Kayrla is a sailor and sometime pirate with a few magical tricks up her sleeve. In the city of Kohayne, she jumps ship to escape the advances of her lecherous captain Jolly Red, taking a bit of his gold for good measure. While fleeing Jolly's wrath, Kayrla collides with Tesca, who's on a mission of his own, and when Jolly comes upon the pair, he assumes them to be partners and sics his crew on both of them. Their subsequent fight and flight through the dark, twisted alleys and steep rooftops of Kohayne forges a fast friendship between the pair. When Tesca offers her sanctuary under the protection of his master, Kayrla accepts, having nowhere else to go. The pair quickly come to realize that they make a very effective team, but will their combined talents be enough to stop an assassin who's come to Kohayne seeking the Duke's life, and who appears to be more than a match for either Tesca's blades or Kayrla's magic?

The “swashbuckling, intrigue and a dash of magic” continues in Book Two of Tales of the Left Hand, as the Duke of Kohaya gives Tesca and Kayrla a new mission, one that takes them outside the Quad: A search for the secret haven of the most legendary pirate to ever sail the Frees. But time is precious, for the Duke's enemies are hot on their heels.

When the Duke arranges for the pair to escort the enigmatic Captain Grivus on his expedition to find the haven (and treasure) of the notorious pirate Praeditorus Rex, Kayrla is thrilled at the prospect of going to sea once more. But unbeknownst to her, the Duke has given Tesca a second mission of greater priority than the first, one that may propel the Quad into war if it is revealed. This extra wrinkle further complicates matters as their journey proceeds. As their ship is attacked by a wily foe, the pair devises a desperate plan to survive that pushes both Tesca's swordsmanship and Kayrla's spellcraft to their limits, but will it be enough to save them?