The Bard's Ballad

<p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>In C.T. Carey's debut novel The Bard's Ballad meet Clef Cantatio a bard who could be the best of his time. Now your first thought may be that a bard is a mere performer similar to a minstrel. It's a common belief. But I warn you not to tell Clef these thoughts. A bard is more than just a beautiful voice. Bards have magic in their words.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>Clef could make him and his entire team disappear without a trace using just a simple charm which he may have to do on his most recent Lily mission. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>What is the Lily you may ask? The Lily is an elite organization that hires the most powerful men and women in the land. And Clef well he is the best of the best. With Clef's powerful words he and his team have made it through every mission tasked to them: though not without a few close calls. If not for his fellow fighters he likely would have died long ago. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>The fighter Bonneville Arroway has saved them from perilous encounters using both brute strength and a blade.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>Roscoe Cobbletoss a cleric of the nature goddess Anar has saved their lives countless times with the healing gifts bestowed upon him.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>The mage Finnon Aleslosh has defeated armies with his simple bag of stones and his not-so-simple evocations. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>Finally there is Kriv Mystan who... well... no one is really sure what he does but with his draconic ancestry and pure black eyes he could scare the bravest of men.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>Join Clef on his most recent adventure or should we say misadventure. The Lily has sent him to the town of Brownstead which has been having problems with goblins and rather than the traditional supplies the goblins take-food jewelry clothes-this time they've taken villagers and no one knows what their fate may be. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>Clef and his team now must prepare to go forth into battle. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>Clef armed with his lute and an ample amount of snide remarks. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>Bonneville with her glaive and motherly habits. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>Roscoe with his battle axe and divine intervention. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>Finnon with his explosive magic and nightly snoring. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>And Kriv with... well... uh... sorry I've got nothing. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>While Clef believes this should be a routine mission it turns out his assumptions were wrong. </span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(33 40 45 1)>When Clef begins to have dreams that remind him of his bitter past-and lost love-he has to do everything he can to keep his focus on the mission ahead of him rather than the cruel past he endeavored.</span></p>