The young bride of a darkly handsome aristocrat, Lady Clare Dysart learns all too late of her husband's violent side, which leads to his demise, and Clare’s arrest for his killing, which she claims happened in self-defence. Clare is too embittered by her experiences to consider the continuing love of a childhood friend, who she had previously rejected in favour of her monster of a husband.
Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.