Houndsfire
Embers of Home
by Ryelee Arishenkoff

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Baelhast once flourished with magic. Now it withers in the wake of the Cull, when it was hunted to extinction. Arland is one of many cities that rots beneath its new rulers—the Houndsguard—who have put wolves in every alley and blood in every home. Wulf has survived this far in gutters and on rooftops. Stubborn and reckless, he has always learned the hard way—one day, it won’t give him back. With his adoptive brother and a crew of thieves to pick up the slack, it’s just enough to survive a world already coming apart. Until Stix is taken. To get her back, Wulf leads his crew into the kennel—the prison no one escapes. What follows is not a rescue, but a collapse. Cells open. Blood runs. Debts are settled. And something long buried in his blood answers. The band on his arm splits. Fire answers. And he hears his true name for the first time. Aeowulf Osric. Now—the Hounds no longer hunt a thief. But something far worse.

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Houndsfire is shaped by Ryelee Arishenkoff’s experiences with loss and addiction. In fact, Ryelee began this novel while in rehab and used the writing process as a way to deal with withdrawal and cravings. Adding to this experience is Ryelee’s years of playing MMO (massively multiplayer online) games, which allowed him to develop a strong focus on worldbuilding and character-driven storytelling. Ryelee lives in Kelowna, BC. This is the first of many novels.

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Contributors

Author

Ryelee Arishenkoff

Cover Design by

Emma Bujold

FriesenPress Editions