A novella from the world of Crooked Blade, which follows on from A Courtesy Visit.
After returning from Traska, rumours spread that the knight Jeno Mantichor could be a real paladin, which is not to the liking of many influential courtiers. A dangerous task in a remote part of the kingdom of Sevar will therefore not take long. Jena is again accompanied by the knight Lisbet and the dwarf prince Rhan, who tries to drown his worries in beer. However, he is not very successful and his royal duties catch up with him when he least expects it.
Mantichor has to deal with a difficult situation. A dangerous mercenary band threatens the inhabitants of the village of Drevorub. Can he find a way to defend the lives of the innocent against overwhelming odds?