Publisher's Synopsis
"Travis Riddle is currently the most original fantasy writer in the genre." - The Speculative Faction, on Flesh Eater
The Houndstooth has forever loomed over Ruska. A towering black tree with indestructible bark, it seals away powerful dark magic. But its bark is cracking and this magic is leaking, threatening to extinguish all life in the valley. Six individuals are infected with this foul magic, imbued with unnatural abilities called Blights. Coal is their final recruit, tasked by the immortal Dirt King to track down ancient artifacts that can seal the Houndstooth and restore balance to Ruska. As the Blighted venture through the kingdom, they realize its condition is worse than they feared. They must tangle with cults, navigate through melting forests, and fight hordes of grotesque beasts warped by the Houndstooth's magic. Ruska's fate rests on their shoulders, but are they already too late to save it?
