Sleight of Hand — Devon Layne

ON THE PLANET CROSSROADS there are portals connecting various worlds. On Earth, men go to Crossroads to participate in adventures on the planet Chaos as heroes. On Cassandra, women go to Crossroads to participate in adventures on the planet Chaos as Damsels in Distress.Of course, there are rules regarding participation and only real heroes receive a special sapphire ring and a portal that gives them access to Crossroads. Chaos is poor in minerals and a hero may not take anything metal with him other than the ring. Chaos is a medieval world governed by violence and power. And Damsels, once they accept the opportunity to go to Chaos, are truly distressed as they are kidnapped, raped, murdered, or imprisoned. They are willing to give their hero anything to free them—including bearing his child. In fact, that seems to be the only way a damsel from Cassandra can get pregnant, which is what drives the women to take their chances on Chaos.Crippled while saving his niece and sister-in-law from a drunk driver, Lincoln has struggled five years to 'never give up' at their encouragement. When his friend and magic tutor Seth is suddenly killed on Chaos, though, Lincoln is forced to consider that the stories his friend told him were more than a LARP. But what kind of hero could a guy in a wheelchair become? (33,000 words. Just 7 chapters.)