Praise for
A HOUSE OF RAGE AND SORROW
“Mandanna is an astute observer of human nature and a master of suspense…. Extraordinarily drawn characters and plot twists will keep readers’ hearts racing.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“A rare gem of a sequel that manages to be even better than the first book! Each page drips with action and moral complexities, and plot twists that will both make and break your heart. Perfect for readers looking for sharp, smart, fast-paced fantasies, especially with fierce female leads.”
—Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire
“A thrilling sequel to Mandanna’s incredible A Spark of White Fire. A House of Rage and Sorrow takes a gorgeously rendered world of spaceship kingdoms, meddling gods, and galaxy-shaking prophecies and pairs it perfectly with an achingly intimate family drama. I cannot wait for the conclusion!”
—S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass and The Kingdom of Copper
Praise for
A SPARK OF WHITE FIRE
“Sangu Mandanna’s A Spark of White Fire is full of brilliant, complex characters against a compelling mythological canvas. It’s full of love and gods, reversals and surprises. I loved it and can’t wait for the next book.”
—―Kat Howard, Alex Award-winning author of An Unkindness of Magicians
“A vivid labyrinth of lies and loyalties. Mandanna has built a dazzling world―…. You’ll see stardust every time you close your eyes.”
—―Olivia A. Cole, author of A Conspiracy of Stars
“A gorgeous marriage of science fiction and fantasy. Meddling gods, princesses in exile, and cities aboard spaceships. This is nothing like you’ve ever read before.”
—―Justina Ireland, New York Times bestselling author of Dread Nation
“Sangu Mandanna seamlessly weaves science fiction elements with Indian mythology, creating a world that feels truly alive. Mandanna’s characters are fully fleshed, especially the engaging and sympathetic Esmae. A Spark of White Fire is the first in a trilogy, and readers will be eager for the next installment.”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review
“In this seamless fusion of fantasy and sci-fi, Sangu Mandanna combines a dazzling world with gripping, high-stakes family drama. An epic opening chapter.”
—Samantha Shannon, New York Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree and The Bone Season
Copyright © 2019 by Sangu Mandanna
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews and articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Sky Pony Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.
First Edition
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are from the author’s imagination, and used fictitiously.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available on file.
Cover illustrations by iStock
Cover design by Kate Gartner
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-5107-3379-4
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-3382-4
Printed in the United States of America
for Henry,
who makes ours a house of neither rage nor sorrow
Dramatis Personae
(compiled by Titania, glorious warship and queen of the skies)
Kali
TITANIA, the heroine of this tale. A sentient spaceship. I was built by gods and I can never be destroyed or defeated. Except by King Darshan, for whom I was created, against whom I would be utterly useless. I am not at all bitter.
ESMAE REY, Princess of Kali, the only daughter of the former king Cassel and his queen Kyra. She won me in King Darshan’s competition, an act that led ultimately to the murder of her best friend at her twin brother’s hands.
MAX REY, Crown Prince of Kali, Commander of the Hundred and One, the adopted son of King Elvar and Queen Guinne. A young man of many secrets. He helped his father steal the crown of Kali and exiled Alexi, Bear, and Kyra. Esmae recently found out Max has been covertly protecting her brothers from his uncle’s assassination attempts.
ELVAR REY, the usurper King of Kali. He is Esmae’s uncle. He’s a little paranoid, in much the same way that the sun is a little warm, and he has been blind since birth. He loves his family. I think.
GUINNE REY, Queen of Kali, Elvar’s wife and Max’s adoptive mother. She is not blind but wears a blindfold.
SYBILLA BLOOM, Captain of the palace guard, second in command of the Hundred and One. As prickly as a thorn and much more likely to cause a fatal injury. She has spent the last few years living at the palace. She is fiercely loyal to Max but has been known to keep Esmae’s secrets from even him.
SEBASTIAN RICKARD, one of Elvar’s most trusted advisors and the head of Kali’s army. Of indeterminate age and known as one of the greatest warriors who has ever lived. He used to be Esmae’s teacher before she lied to him and he is responsible for the curse that will ultimately be her downfall.
CASSELA REY, the former queen consort of Kali, Elvar’s grandmother and Esmae’s great-grandmother. She was the one who cursed Esmae’s mother. She is about as warm and grandmotherly as a blizzard.
JEMSY ROSE, HENRY ROSE, and JUNIPER ROSE, royal guards and members of the Hundred and One. Esmae is very fond of them.
SEBASTIAN RICKARD THE SECOND, Rickard’s only grandson.
SU YEN WING, a general in Kali’s army and a member of the war council. She can usually be trusted to be sensible.
ILARA KHAY, a general in Kali’s army.
Arcadia
ALEXI REY, the golden prince, one of the finest warriors in the star system and a slightly less talented archer than his twin sister, Esmae. He believes himself to be the rightful ruler of Kali.
ABRA REY, known to everyone as Bear. He is as cuddly and ferocious as his namesake. He fights on Alexi’s side.
KYRA REY, former queen consort of Kali, mother to Alexi, Bear, and Esmae. She is the beginning of one of the many threads that led to this war.
LEILA SAKA, general of Alexi’s army and his closest advisor. She was Max’s teacher before she left Kali to join Alexi. Esmae often compares her to a cobra, and she’s not wrong.
Wychstar
RAMA KARN, the youngest prince of Wychstar. He was Esmae’s best friend. He is now gone.
RADHA KARN, the youngest princess of Wychstar.
DARSHAN KARN, King of Wychstar, father to Rodi, Ria, Rama, and Radha. And me, I suppose. He took a vow of silence for ten years just so that the gods would help him build me. Esmae still doesn’t know why.
RODI KARN, Crown Prince of Wychstar and devilishly charming to boot.
RIA KARN, the older of Darshan’s two daughters, second in line to the throne of Wychstar.
NINA LI, or Mistress Li as Esmae used to call her. She runs the children’s sanctuary on Wychstar where Esmae grew up.
Winter
RALF SNOW, the king of Winter and Alexi’s ally. He gifted Alexi the territory on his planet that is now the small kingdom Arcadia. He is also the man who used his teeth
to pluck the bowstring when he competed for me. I liked that.
SARA SNOW, the queen of Winter.
KATYA SNOW, the only child of King Ralf and Queen Sara.
DIMITRI SNOW, the son of a Winter courtier and now the husband of Princess Katya.
Other mortals
SELWYN COFFYN, the former advisor to King Elvar. Also Queen Guinne’s brother. Esmae sent him away from Kali because he is, in short, a treacherous bastard. Alas, we have not seen the last of him.
SHAY BLACKHEART, the princess and ruler of Skylark. She has something of a grudge against Kali since Lord Selwyn attempted to invade her realm (I refer you to the treacherous bastard detail above).
MIYO SAKA, Queen of Tamini and an ally of Alexi due to her family ties to General Saka.
YANN ROTHKAR, King of Elba.
VALENTINA GOMEZ, the Prime Minister of Shloka.
Immortals
AMBA, war goddess. She was one of the gods who made me. She cloaked Rama so that he could fight the duel in Esmae’s place, which resulted in his death.
KIRRIN, god of tricks and one of Amba’s brothers. He has chosen Alexi’s side and took the blueflower from Esmae so that she could be killed. It’s not that he doesn’t like Esmae, but he’s convinced she’ll destroy her brother if she lives. Funny how that worked out.
VALIN, a god of wisdom, long dead. Amba’s brother. He is not at all relevant. In fact, just forget I mentioned him at all.
TYRE, a god of justice. Amba’s brother.
SUYA, sun god. Amba’s brother.
THEA, goddess of hearth and home. Amba’s sister.
ASH, god of destruction and balance. He was one of the first gods and therefore is sort of Amba’s uncle.
BARA, goddess of creation.
KIVA, a war god. He is not, you will be surprised to hear, related to Amba at all.
LAIKA, a raksha demon.
VAHANA, a garuda.
SORSHA, a very big spoiler.
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Acknowledgments
CHAPTER ONE
My golden brother doesn’t shine so brightly anymore. His armor is streaked with soot and the bow of light on his back has been doused in ash. He picks his way across the stony beach with a handful of his soldiers, checking the blazing ruins of his ships for survivors. Winter’s sea roars beyond them, gray and foamy and cold.
The aftermath of battle is ugly. General Saka sent a small fleet toward Kali, presumably to test our defences or maybe just to test me, and Titania and I flew out to meet them. It didn’t go well for them. We followed what was left of them back to Winter, where Alexi came to rescue them, but he was too late. They crashed onto this beach, somewhere in King Ralf’s territory, and my perfect twin was powerless to stop it.
Almost as if he can tell he’s being watched, Alexi turns away from the sea and looks at the cliffs beyond the beach. At me.
I’m on the cliff edge above him. Titania hovers close by. I can’t see much of Alexi’s expression from this far away, but I don’t think it’s friendly.
That’s okay, Alex. Mine isn’t either.
There’s a ripple in the sky in the distance, a smear across the horizon. As it draws closer, the smear becomes more distinct. Ships. They’re not Kali’s, so they’re either Alexi’s or King Ralf’s. I suspect the former. There’s half a dozen of them, all powerful warships, and they cut across the silver sky until they stop behind my brother, noses pointed my way, black steel against the backdrop of clouds and water.
“Esmae.” It’s Titania, her voice in my earpiece. I feel her above me, engines humming, closer than before. “Come back inside.”
She worries. These days, without my blueflower, I’m a whole lot easier to kill. They all worry.
The ships train their weapons on me. I can hear the sounds over the roar of the sea, the click of launchers shifting into place, the whir of machinery ready to fire. They’re waiting for the order.
I don’t move. Titania huffs in my ear, more exasperated than alarmed. “Have it your way.”
I make sure the ships are in my line of vision, but I keep my attention on Alexi. He hasn’t taken his eyes off me. One of his soldiers breaks away from the others and goes to him, speaks to him. It’s my other brother, Bear.
The seconds tick by. The lash of the wind and sea salt, the roar of the waves, the whir of engines. Doused fires on the beach, ruined ships coiling smoke into the air. The battle smell of metal, ash, and smoke in my throat.
I wonder why I’m still here. What am I waiting for? To see what he’ll do? To see if he’ll give the order? Of course he’ll give the order. He killed Rama because he believed Rama was me. Why in the world wouldn’t he try again?
Except he hasn’t. What’s he waiting for?
That’s when I realize he’s waiting, too. He’s waiting to see if I’ll take that step, if I’ll try to kill him.
After all, I swore I’d destroy him. A god even told me I would. I don’t know what Kirrin meant when he said destroy, but one way or another, I will fulfill my vow and there will be justice for Rama. One way or another, somewhere down the line, I will destroy my brother. My twin. The one in the sun.
And maybe somewhere down the line is today. He’s standing right there. As vulnerable as I am. I could kill him.
So why haven’t I?
I reach for the Black Bow on my back, and slide an arrow out of my quiver. Alexi is out of most archers’ reach, but I’m better than most archers. I nock the arrow. I slice the first two fingers of my right hand on the bowstring. It hurts, and it bleeds. Both familiar, except now neither one goes away. The wound doesn’t heal. I ignore it.
I pull the arrow back. Aim for Alexi’s bare throat. There’s one small, lonely tremor in my hand.
Let go.
Let go, Esmae.
My hand trembles. My teeth chatter with cold, or maybe with fury. I don’t let go. I lower the bow.
Bear leaves Alexi’s side and approaches the cliff. He makes his way up to me. I haven’t seen him since before the duel. His skin is paler than it was then, wan under its usual bronzey brown, and there’s a dark bruise on his left cheek.
Bear stops in front of me. His eyes are sad, and soft. “Can I give you a hug?”
“Of course you can.” I let him squeeze all the breath out of me. I hug him back and it feels so good that I want to cry. I feel like I haven’t touched anyone like this in months. I let go reluctantly. “How are you?”
“Meh,” he says, “You?”
“Meh,” I reply.
He cracks a smile. He glances back at Alexi, then says, “He wants to talk to you.”
I stiffen. “I have nothing to say to him.”
“Please.”
“No.”
Bear
sighs, then says, “I’m so sorry about Rama.”
His name, out loud, is a cut. Is it possible to die by one thousand small cuts? I miss him so much. “Me too.”
“But,” he adds, with a wobble in his voice, “I can’t believe this is what he would have wanted for you.”
“You didn’t know him, Bear.”
“I didn’t need to. No one who loves you would want this for you, Esmae.” He points to the ruins of the ships on the beach. “Is this what you want for you? Really? You, who told me Wych folktales and ate honey cakes and read books under the yellow weeping trees in Arcadia? This war will break your heart. It’ll ruin you.”
I keep my eyes on the sea. “The folktales and the honey cakes are gone. Even if I were to look for them, I wouldn’t be able to find them. There’s only arrows and ash now.”
“You can stop.”
I step back, away from him. “Did he stop? When he pushed steel into Rama’s heart, did he stop?”
“You’re not him.”
“No, I’m not,” I agree. “I’m so much worse.”
CHAPTER TWO
Rama died three months ago. Thirteen days later, I took him one last time into the stars and watched him fade away.
My world has been nothing but blood, war, and ash since then. I live it by day, dream it by night. Battle formations, sharpened swords, warriors in lines, ships in fleets, hologram maps charting out every step, strategies, arguments, allies, enemies. Three months of rage, of grief, of standing at my uncle’s side as his greatest and most relentless weapon.
Everyone keeps asking me if this is what Rama would have wanted. I don’t know if it’s what he would have wanted. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? He can’t tell anyone what he wants anymore. He was robbed of his chance to do that. He was the one who died and I was the one left behind, so I can only do what I want now. And what I want is to scream.
Every battle is a scream. Every strategy is a scream. I hear myself inside my own head. I never, ever stop screaming. Every single breath I take is a scream, building and building until it one day it will reach such ruin that my brother will shatter into a thousand pieces.
CHAPTER THREE
Titania
She’s asleep. We are in space, somewhere that is nowhere. We were supposed to go straight back to Kali after we left Winter, but then Esmae fell asleep and I diverted us. She hasn’t slept in three days. She needs this.
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