He survived the war. The debts might kill him.

John Rourke is a war veteran haunted by the battle at Bulger’s Rift—where he stood his ground while thirty men died around him. Five years later, he’s drowning in gambling debts and trying to forget the ghosts that follow him to every card table.

When crime lord Deacon Miller makes him an offer, John has no choice but to accept. Find a legendary treasure lost in the treacherous Scarlet Archipelago, and his debts are erased. Refuse, and his pregnant wife and dying mother will pay the price.

But some treasures are buried for a reason.

The Scarlet Archipelago is a graveyard of ships and men. Ancient ruins hide deadly secrets. The jungle crawls with creatures that hunt in the dark. And deep beneath the waves, something monstrous guards the wreck—a predator that has fed on sailors for decades.

John assembles a desperate crew: a deadly elven ranger, two brutal namite warriors, a dwarf demolitionist, and his old war comrade who can’t be trusted. Together, they’ll brave impossible odds to claim a fortune that could change their lives.

The real enemy isn’t the island.

As the expedition descends into blood and betrayal, John discovers Deacon’s promises were lies from the start. The treasure hunt becomes a fight for survival. Bodies pile up. Trust shatters. And back in Millside, the people John loves are already in danger.

Caught between the monster in the deep and the monster who sent him, John faces an impossible choice: run from the man he’s become, or stand and fight for what remains.

He’s never been good at running.

Perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, and dark fantasy where heroes bleed, villains win, and every choice has a cost.

Fate’s Wager is the first book in a gripping dark fantasy series of revenge, redemption, and the brutal price of survival.