When wealthy whiskey baron Gabriel Winter’s daughter vanishes, presumed dead, he seeks bloody retribution. Having lived through the infamous Year of Fear, he hires the one man he knows can deliver: the notorious Duster. This turns out to be Royce, a cynical ex-assassin, and Hadrian, an idealistic ex-mercenary, collectively known as Riyria.
Their mission appears simple: travel to Rochelle, a mysterious old-world city of nobles claiming imperial descent, and discover what happened to the missing duchess. If she lives, they must bring her home; if not, punish those responsible. However, nothing is simple in Rochelle’s crowded, narrow, mist-filled streets, where ancient legends lurk and even a fortune isn’t enough to unravel the city’s treacherous secrets.