The Silent Beggar's Anthology, Part 1: Masks

The kingdom is at war. The Royal Army and the Rebel forces are tearing the land apart, and Jet the Owl, leader of the mercenary group known as the Owls, is trying to keep his people from being dragged into the crossfire. But neutrality is becoming impossible in a world that demands allegiance. Mercenary groups are choosing sides, and those who hesitate are being hunted down. For years, Jet has kept his crew away from politics, choosing survival over loyalty. But as tensions rise, his close ties to Princess Amelia make the Owls look like government loyalists whether they claim the title or not. The Rebels are watching. The strongest mercenary groups are being swallowed by the war. And soon, Jet will have to choose: sell his sword to a cause, or risk becoming a target himself. But war is not the only thing coming for the Owls. Noel, Jet’s right-hand man, is an immortal with a past he refuses to explain. Ember, a runaway with a gift for making people open up, is in deeper than she realizes. Homer, the heart of the group, never removes his mask—not out of vanity, but because of what lies beneath. And Jet himself is a walking contradiction: an outsider in the very land he calls home, a man who speaks like he belongs but has no past to claim. His name is known. His story is not. In a world where mercenaries are only pawns in a greater game, Jet must decide what matters more: his freedom or his crew. Because once the Owls stop being players, they become pieces to be sacrificed. A gripping fantasy adventure full of mercenary intrigue, anime-inspired action, and the weight of the past—where everyone wears a mask, but not all of them can be easily removed.