The Folding Knife by K. J. Parker is $1.99 on
Amazon.com
Quote:
Basso the Magnificent. Basso the Great. Basso the Wise. The First Citizen of the Vesani Republic is an extraordinary man.
He is ruthless, cunning, and above all, lucky. He brings wealth, power and prestige to his people. But with power comes unwanted attention, and Basso must defend his nation and himself from threats foreign and domestic. In a lifetime of crucial decisions, he's only ever made one mistake.
One mistake, though, can be enough.
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You may wish to read
the introduction to Jared Shurin's re-read at Tor.com for more.