Rane Hollander thought he had discovered the archaeological find of the century! One that would see his debts cleared and his family's name restored to its rightful place in civilized society. That was until a mysterious woman stormed into his life, saving him from certain death in the desert surrounding his home. Now, she’s demanding he repay a life debt to her by helping her steal a valuable artifact from the mayor of the city of Ara'ka. If the mayor discovered his involvement in such a criminal enterprise, he would surely be hung from the highest tower of the Mayor's Pavilion. The Hollander name would be lost to time. But, unknown to Rane, the knowledge he possesses about this mysterious woman has the potential to doom her people.
Eric Malikyte is a neurodivergent author, illustrator, science communicator, and video editor. He has published works in various genres, including Lovecraftian horror, dark fantasy, and cyberpunk. He has written for YouTube channels such as TopTenz, Geographics, and Biographics. He lives in Richmond, Virginia, with his wife and two cats, where he spends his spare time exploring used bookstores, Irish Pubs, and terrorizing the neighborhood children on Halloween.