***First published in the GAMBLED AWAY: Historical romance anthology**** THE LIAR'S DICE is a novella in the Lotus Palace series, taking place after the events of The Jade Temptress. Length: ~100 pages Tang Dynasty China, 849 A.D. Lady Bai, called Wei-wei by her aristocratic family, has always been the perfectly obedient daughter—but only on the outside. Inwardly she dreams of freedom. When she dares to pay a forbidden visit to a public tea garden in men's clothing, only Gao looks close enough to notice her borrowed robes. Alas, looking closely at the enigmatic Gao tells Wei-wei only one thing: he's a scoundrel. When the pair witness a fatal stabbing, Gao surprises her by staying at her side as she investigates the brutal crime. Together they uncover more secrets, somehow tied to her brother and the seedy gambling dens he's been visiting on the sly. Gao seems to know far too much about the brutal ways of the street, but Wei-wei is drawn to him and his habit of seeing through all her disguises. Wei-wei revels in her newfound independence and her growing feelings for her mysterious companion, but all too soon she's faced with a cruel choice—discover the truth and bring the killer to justice, or protect her family at all costs.