Fire and Smoke — Vladimir Duran

Out of the ashes of his battle with the head of the inquisition Wraith rises like a monster out of myth. His for is shadow, his breath is flame. He's come to kill Giadan Blackblade, the man who orders that his people should die. At long last they will come face to face and the high councilor will get to test if he had the courage of his convictions. If knights are monsters then surely this one will kill him.



Excerpt:



Another explosion rocked the castle, sending vibrations through his feet as the High Councilor ran. Ash reinforced stone muted the effect but if he could feel them at all them must be close. He didn't dare look back, afraid that if he did he would see flames licking at his heels. Flame didn't fill his heart with terror. He was a wizard, fire was his. Wraith was back there, cutting his way through Gaidan's so call guards.



His father had warned the Lord of Blackblade that this day would come. The day the Knights would come for him. Knights cared about proving how much better they were than everyone else. The need infected everything they did from their art to the way they breathed. And the ultimate way to prove their superiority way by killing the strongest opponents they could find. With the great armies of the twisted gone from this world, the only ones left for them to kill were normal wizards. Starting with the strongest, like Gaidan and his father. Strength was a curse. It led to nothing but violence and death. That was why the Knights had to die. As long as they lived there could be no peace.



These things his father had taught him. Unlike his own ungrateful sons, the First Lord of the city of Lightningstrike had been an attentive student. Now his father's words were proving themselves prophesy. The dog had come. Wraith was here. Gaidan was going to die.



Despite themselves he and all his advisors had ended up using that name. Wraith.