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.

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.

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.

The fighter Bonneville Arroway has saved them from perilous encounters, using both brute strength and a blade.

Roscoe Cobbletoss, a cleric of the nature goddess Anar, has saved their lives countless times with the healing gifts bestowed upon him.

The mage Finnon Aleslosh has defeated armies with his simple bag of stones and his not-so-simple evocations.

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.

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.

Clef and his team now must prepare to go forth into battle.

Clef armed with his lute and an ample amount of snide remarks.

Bonneville with her glaive and motherly habits.

Roscoe with his battle axe and divine intervention.

Finnon with his explosive magic and nightly snoring.

And Kriv with... well... uh... sorry, I've got nothing.

While Clef believes this should be a routine mission, it turns out his assumptions were wrong.

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.