NCorkel_ShadowMarket

The Shadow, or the underground tunnel system connecting northern Aardonia and southern Tirnishan, played an extensive role in the wars that fractured the two countries. Now the Shadow has become a heavily used trade route and transportation hub. Stores, businesses, underground trains and harbors, and even cave-like apartments have been built into the Shadow, rivaling the bustle of New Corkel above the tunnels. The widest caverns have been employed by the city's Market District, and originally only illegal sales were conducted in the Shadow Market. Now most merchants and bargainers can explore the depths of the infamous Shadow Market, where law enforcement is lax and the heavy tax can be evaded. The Shadow Market is also home to the city's more deadly cults and gangs, such as the Hounds of Sacred Slumber and the Temple of the Grey Knot. These busy, lawless tunnels are not for the casual visitor, but many lost youngsters or runaways have found their survival in the Shadow Market. Cyrus Olancian was no exception. Enter the market, if you dare, and enter the culture of this strange but not-so-foreign world. ​ Watch for the upcoming novel, "The Salad Breaker," by Carol Perrodin, soon to be available on Lulu.com. Estimated release date end of August 2021.