by Bex Hogan
There’s no opportunity to redeem my wavering resolve, because at that moment a furious water raptor slams into the side of the ship, tilting the Maiden violently to her port side. I’m almost thrown down, but quickly thrust my blade into the deck and hold on tight until the Maiden rights herself.
When she crashes back into the water my eyes scan for Adler, but he’s disappeared. The fighting has changed now, the crew not certain which is a more immediate threat to their lives, each other or the sea creatures. While some continue to fight among themselves, most turn their aggression to the two water raptors circling us.
I search for Bronn – he’s locked in an exchange with a Snake I don’t recognise and I call out to him. He turns at the sound of my voice, simultaneously knocking out the man he was fighting, and we run towards each other.
Before he can reach me, the female water raptor swings her massive head across the deck, scattering crew into the water like flies, and demolishing the foremast in her wake. Chunks of wood crash down over us, and Bronn has to retreat to avoid getting hit.
‘Marianne!’ he shouts over the chaos. ‘We’ve got to get out of here.’
‘Reach the helm. I’ll join you there.’
Bronn nods and then he’s gone, while I try to find a different way through.
I don’t get far before my path is blocked, but not by debris. The water raptor has come about, and I have to dive out of the way as she opens her mouth wide and pours a torrent of poisoned water over the deck. The screams that follow are awful, and I only survive by leaping on to dangling rigging that keeps me out of harm’s way.
I swing from the rope and clamber through to the other side of the ship, desperate to find Bronn, but he’s not by the helm and panic sets in. I race towards the quarterdeck, and that’s where I see him.
He’s lying on the deck, his body covering Toby’s to protect him from the venom, his arm and side badly burned.
‘Bronn!’ I run towards him, but I’m distracted, not focusing, and feel a blade slip into my abdomen with astonishing ease before I see, too late, that Adler’s stepped directly into my path.
The air seems to flee my body and as I hit the deck my eyes meet Bronn’s, our faces at the same level. I thought I was ready for death, but the sadness that consumes me is more painful than my wound.
I roll over, pressing the gash hard as if I can push my blood back in, and stare up at Adler, whose shadow blocks out the sun as he stands over me.
‘You know, I’ve enjoyed this,’ he says, kneeling down so he doesn’t have to shout. ‘All this defiance you’ve shown has made taking the Isles so much more satisfying. The King really wasn’t making it a worthwhile game. Shame my ship has been damaged, but she can be fixed. And I’ll return home more feared than ever – the man who killed both the water raptors and the girl who summoned them. So thank you. Truly, thank you. Marianne.’ He uses the name he gave me as one final display of control, of ownership.
I want to respond, want to retaliate, want to leap to my feet and slice his villainous neck, but all I can do is gasp for air, like a fish torn from the water. Adler laughs as he stands up and leaves me to die.
I watch as he climbs the ratlines up the mainmast and realise with horror that he plans to release the harpoon at the raptors. Despite their size, one perfect shot through the heart should be enough to destroy them. And he’s the Viper. He’ll make the shot.
He’s going to win. Again. By killing me, by killing the raptors, there really will be nothing to stop him destroying what remains of everyone and everything I love. He’ll slaughter anyone who’s helped me, plunder the islands of every resource, and steal all the beauty from the world.
No. I simply won’t abandon the Isles to such a monster. Not while there’s breath in my body. Dragging myself across the deck feels like it takes for ever, but I only need to be faster than Adler and he’s slower on the ratlines than he used to be. The knife that lies discarded not ten feet away is all I need and, clawing my way with my fingers, I inch closer to it, smearing a trail of blood behind me, until finally my fist closes round the heavy handle.
Breathing is almost impossible, but my head tells me that the fact I’m still alive means he’s missed my vital organs. I have time. I can do this. I roll on to my back and twist so that I can see Adler high above me, already on the platform and aiming the harpoon at the water raptor as she approaches for another attack.
Using every last inch of my remaining strength I throw the knife.
No more conflict.
No hesitation.
It lodges squarely in his heart and for a moment he just stands there as if he’s sustained nothing more than a bee sting. And then his eye finds me, and he knows. One final moment of understanding passes between us before he falls, plummeting down, his body breaking on impact with the deck.
It’s done. I am free of him. And even though I ran a long time ago, I finally feel the noose slip from my neck.
I lie back, exhausted. In the end I didn’t kill him in the heat of anger or with a violent heart. It wasn’t revenge that gave me the strength to throw that knife. It was the need to protect. Just like my mother. It gave me no pleasure, but I have no regrets. Adler killed hundreds of people, many of whom I loved.
A strange hollow sensation is creeping through me.
‘Captain Adler is dead!’ Ren’s voice penetrates the air and the fighting breaks up. ‘All hail our new captain.’
A new captain who’s bleeding out all over the deck.
‘Incoming!’ A desperate voice shrieks out as the water raptors make a fresh attack, and they smash into the ship as though it were paper-thin.
My captaincy may not last long, but while it does the crew are my responsibility. Many of them have risked their lives to give me allegiance and so I will not fail them. I should never have unleashed the raptors, should never have abandoned myself to the powerful, dangerous lure of magic. It may already be too late to put things right, but I have to try.
Getting to my knees seems to take hours. I clutch desperately at my side, not even certain what I intend to do until the words leave my mouth.
Releasing my wound, I raise both hands high and direct my command to the water raptors, this time with only peace in my heart.
‘Stop, dark demons, cease and flee. Return to sleep, return to sea.’
The female water raptor breathes one last watery shower, but this time into the ocean, and then slowly, as if not entirely willing, they both disappear back under the waves, leaving only stunned silence behind them.
I remain on my knees but return my hands to stem the bleeding. I’m aware that everyone’s staring at me, shocked by what they’ve just witnessed. Their old captain is dead and their new one just commanded the water raptors to leave us alone, and even though I said before that I had summoned them there’s a difference between hearing and seeing. The crew know everything’s about to change. The ship is silent with anticipation, with fear, the only sound coming from Talon, who squawks as he swoops down, landing on my shoulder, gently pecking my ear in approval. Well, his loyalty was easily won.
‘Adler was a traitor and a thief!’ I say, my voice horribly soft but thankfully carrying on the wind nonetheless. ‘He killed my parents and raised me as his own, before making me his enemy. It’s been many generations since the name of the Viper was won through conquest, but Adler is dead by my hand. By rights, I am your captain.’
Ren steps forward and crosses his arms in salute. ‘And we pledge to you our fealty.’
I nod in appreciation. With both Bronn and me injured I’ll be testing his loyalty soon enough. ‘It’s time the Viper became a symbol of protection once more. We will be feared, yes, but only by those who wish to harm others or take what does not belong to them. We may serve the King, but more importantly we serve the islanders. Adler’s reign of chaos is over. The honour of the Viper shall be restored.’
The crew who fought for me cheer and offer a salute, which I return as best I can. The bloo
d loss is making me dizzy.
I beckon Ren over to me, and barely whisper my orders to him. ‘Secure all the Snakes who chose to ally with Adler. I’ll decide what to do with them if I live long enough.’
He rests his hand on my shoulder. ‘Consider it done. We’ll get you help.’
I lie down and listen to Ren issue commands, securing the ship for me, and then close my eyes. I’ve done my part.
Someone shakes me awake. Bronn is beside me, dressing my wound. His own look fiercely painful but he doesn’t flinch as he tends to me.
‘Don’t you die on me,’ he says as he pulls a strap tight round my waist. ‘Do you hear? If I have to live, so do you.’
I manage a weak smile. ‘Sounds fair.’
‘That was a hell of a shot,’ he says. ‘Grace would have been proud.’ And Bronn kisses me firmly on the forehead before attending to his own injuries.
I blink tears away as the wind whips through my hair, carrying with it the pungent smell of saline, the coming of rain, the promise of a storm. A sense of belonging settles over me. I’m not done with life yet, far from it. Adler’s reign may be over, but mine is just beginning. Today is not the day I die. I’m the Viper. And I have work to do.
The spot I’ve picked for Grace’s grave is in the shade of an ashblossom tree overlooking the sea. It’s beautiful; I think she would have liked it.
We’re stuck on the Eighth Isle until we can finish repairing the Maiden. As soon as she’s seaworthy I plan to leave the Western Isles to regroup with Torin and begin to undo the devastation Adler caused. Sea vultures have been sent and received – Torin and the Fleet never even made it into Western waters, an unnatural storm forbidding them from crossing the divide, as if the West knew they weren’t part of Adler’s and my unfinished business. Now they’ve returned to the Eastern Isles, where Torin will put forward a motion that his father abdicates immediately.
Several survivors of the ill-fated Avenger have been found, including the indomitable Harley, who seemed invigorated by the ordeal, and the ever-resourceful Ana. All of them have elected to join my crew, much to my delight. It’s a comfort to have them on board when many of the Snakes who switched their loyalty to me in the face of defeat have yet to gain my trust.
When the time does come for us to leave, I’m uncertain if I’ll ever return to the West. Though I now know I’m descended from the lost royalty, when Adler took me from my parents he also took that future. Now I want to make my own.
I’ve decided to keep the name I’ve grown up with. Though Adler may have given it to me, over the years it’s become part of who I am, and so I have chosen to keep it for myself. My true name will stay tucked into my heart along with my love for the parents I never knew, my link to the life I could have had and will never know.
Esther seems to have found a kind of peace now she’s told her story and justice has been dealt. My recovery has taken a while, but once I was strong enough to leave the ship I found my way back to her grove to tell her of Adler’s death. She made a tonic to aid my healing and offered to teach me all she knew if I stayed. I was tempted, more than I’d like to admit, but much to Esther’s disappointment I declined. I told her – and myself – that I had duties to fulfil. And I do. But we both know that’s not the whole truth. I fear the part of me that rises with the magic. The darkness I cannot dare to unleash again. If one day I change my mind and decide to return, Esther’s made it clear she’ll be waiting. So perhaps the West isn’t quite done with me just yet.
At the sound of footsteps I turn to see Bronn coming over the brow of the hill, the evening sun turning his black hair copper. Though I was able to heal much of the damage he sustained, I couldn’t prevent him accumulating a few new scars from the burns. Water raptors’ venom is incredibly potent.
He sits beside me on the dry ground and rests his shoulder against mine.
We don’t speak.
We weren’t expecting still to be alive, and while it was one thing to give in to our desire when we had nothing to lose, now everything’s changed. Or rather returned to how it was.
I am betrothed to another man. A man I will marry for the sake of the Eastern Isles. A good man.
The man by my side is my opposite and my reflection. The dark to my light. The light to my dark. And everything in between. But I’m not sure either of us could survive the heartbreak of being together yet being apart. Love is not enough.
As the last birds go home to roost, Bronn breaks the silence.
‘So I’ve been meaning to ask, do I call you “majesty” or “captain” now?’
‘I think . . . both.’
He laughs. ‘You’ll want me to salute and curtsy next.’
‘But of course.’
While I’d recovered I’d told Bronn everything about Adler, about my parents, about my ancestors. My secrets are safe with him. He knows restoring the Eastern Isles is all that matters right now.
‘What will happen to us when we return home?’ he says, serious now. ‘When you marry Torin?’
I turn to face him, wanting to comfort him, but I can’t. I only have honesty, and it’s not always kind.
‘I don’t know.’
He nods, a shadow falling across his face. It wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but he knows anything else would be a lie.
‘Then I’ll wait for my orders, Captain.’
He salutes me, his eyes lingering on mine, before he turns and leaves me alone once more.
I stay there a while longer, looking out over the ocean. I know tomorrow will bring its own troubles; there will always be new battles, fresh fights to win, but for now, in this moment, at least I’m at peace with myself.
A gentle breeze stirs across the sea from the East and I close my eyes. Let the wind bring what it will. I’m ready for anything.
This book simply would not exist without the support and downright hard work of some outstanding people, all of whom I am endlessly grateful to know.
Firstly eternal thanks to my powerhouse of an agent, the wonderful Davinia Andrew-Lynch, whose unwavering belief in both me and this book has meant the world to me. I cannot believe how lucky I am to get to navigate these publishing waters with you by my side – there just aren’t enough superlatives to describe you. You’re a true warrior queen.
Infinite thanks to the amazing Lena McCauley, editor extraordinaire. Thank you so much for seeing Marianne, understanding her and giving her the opportunity to set sail into the world. I feel utterly privileged to have the opportunity to benefit from your knowledge and wisdom. It’s been an absolute joy working with you on this book, from start to finish.
To all the team at Orion and Hachette – you are beyond incredible. Thank you for welcoming me into the fold so warmly. Huge special thanks to Samuel Perrett for designing a cover more beautiful than I dared dream for, to Jennie Roman, my copy-editor, to Emily Thomas, my fabulous publicist, and to Naomi Berwin for her marketing prowess.
Massive thanks to Allison Hellegers, for your perceptive input and support. Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do.
A humongous thank you to Fiz Osborne, for all your insight and advice over the years. I cannot tell you how much I value your help, your friendship and your general awesomeness.
To my beautiful friends, to each and every one of you who has stuck by me through the years, listened to my tales of rejection, and never once suggested I give up – thank you. There have been ups and (more) downs, but you’ve kept me going with your encouragement, and I’m so grateful to you all. You know who you are, lovely ones.
My family are, fortunately, nothing like Marianne’s. There are so many of you, it would take another novella to mention everyone by name, but thank you to all of you, for just being you, for being in my life. I love you all. Extra special thanks must go to a few people though. To John, Yu-Chiao & Lorna, for reading an early draft and giving me feedback. To Bea for your beautiful drawings of Marianne’s compass. To Eddie for helping me out over the summer when
I really needed it. To Aunty Gill, for always cheering me on from the sidelines (and for the most gorgeous book deal gift!).
A great big thank you to my dad, for being my biggest fan never to have actually read anything I’ve written! Thank you for coming to my rescue numerous times so that I could focus on my writing. You’re such a huge support and I love you lots.
Where do I even start thanking my mum, who has read every draft, taken every anxious phone call, comforted me at every rejection and encouraged at every turn? I would never have dared to dream so big without knowing you were right behind me, wouldn’t have been brave enough to keep going without you picking me up and dusting me off. I love you so much.
To my amazing husband, Joe; thank you for never once doubting me on this long journey. Thank you for being beside me the whole way as I’ve followed my dreams. From the very first draft you’ve pushed me to find the truest path for my characters and could spot a plot hole a mile away. I couldn’t have done any of this without you. Lovings.
And to my beautiful daughters, Kara and Odette. My very favourite people ever. Thank you for not complaining too much when I shut myself away to disappear into another world! It makes me constantly happy that you both love books and reading as much as I do – what a gift to be able to share with you. I am so very proud of you both and love you for ever. Thank you for being the best girls in the world. Thank you for making all of this worthwhile.
It’s a beautiful night for a wedding. The moon is radiant, offering its shimmering light as a blessing on the union and the stars shine bright in celebration. The gentle breeze scatters delicate pink petals from the trees like confetti.
The room I’m in looks down over the gardens of the summer palace, and I rest my head against the cool glass of the window. Not moments ago, I was surrounded by people, fussing over me, preparing me, filling the air with laughter and excitement. Now I’m alone. Waiting.
I am dressed for midnight. The only colour on my person is the scarlet thread woven through my corset. Otherwise I’m entirely in black as befits the Viper, though for one day only I’m in an elaborate gown, rather than my fighting garb. I slide the dagger gifted to me by my crew into my boot and immediately feel more myself. A bride I may be, but I have plenty of enemies who would love to use this day to their advantage.