Blood of an Exile

the long version

In this fast-paced adventure, Flawless Bershad was given a death sentence when he was caught trying to assassinate a fellow noble: fight monsters so that his death would serve the kingdom. Caught trying to assassinate a fellow noble, Lord Silas Bershad was given a death sentence: fight monsters so that he would die serving the kingdom. He's never lost a fight. He's the most successful dragon slayer in history. But marked as a doomed man, Bershad stands apart from the world. Now the king who sentenced Bershad to his fate has just given him an out. Kill a foreign emperor and walk free forever. Across dragon-infested mountains, into a forbidden city guarded by deadly technology... the links of fate bind us all. -- adapted from jacket and Amazon.com info