“The district of the West Marches goes to Mael Ventaxis.”
The hesitation was minor, but everyone close heard it, and Sorrow’s head snapped up from where she’d lowered it. She turned to Irris, momentarily forgetting about Vespus. They’d thought the West Marches was a safe seat for her, Tuva had been one of Sorrow’s staunchest supporters, and yet…
The tiniest spark of hope ignited in Sorrow at this unexpected development.
As expected, Balthasar’s South Marches went to Mael.
It came down to Prekara. Kaspira had never truly liked Sorrow… And it was the home of the Rathbones. The birthplace of the Sons of Rhannon, and they despised her…
Over Charon’s head she met Mael’s eyes, and the two of them kept their gazes locked on each other as Charon reached for the final scroll.
“The district of Prekara goes to … Sorrow Ventaxis.”
The cheer was instant, deafening, and Irris hugged her tightly, holding her up as the Jedenvat all clapped and Charon beamed at her.
She’d won.
She’d lost.
From the corner of her eye she saw Mael walk away as people descended on her.
Bayrum Mizil had tears running down his face, beaming at her, as Tuva Marchant gripped her hand and thrust it skyward in victory. Arran Day was shouting something to her, his arm around his father’s chair.
It was as though she was drowning on land; she couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.
“She’s in shock,” she heard someone say.
Sorrow turned, looking for someone she knew, someone she trusted, but there was still no sign of Luvian, and Irris had been borne away by those wishing to celebrate with them.
Then she saw him. Standing at the base of the steps, with ambassadors from Svarta, Skae and Meridea.
Vespus Corrigan looked up at her and smiled.
And Sorrow knew then, despite her attempts to tell herself she could fight back and that one day she’d defeat him, that the curse her mother had laid on her the day she was born had finally come to pass. To the people of Rhannon, and to the people she cared about.
Sorrow, for that is all she brings us.
The Ventaxis Dynasty Former chancellor Reuben “Windsword” Ventaxis, deceased
Dowager First Lady, “Grandmama” deceased
Harun Ventaxis, chancellor of Rhannon Cerena Ventaxis (née Mizil), former First Lady of Rhannon, deceased
Mael Ventaxis, deceased
Sorrow Ventaxis
The Jedenvat of Rhannon
Lord Charon Day, vice chancellor of Rhannon Irris Day, acting senator for the East Marches Arran Day, absent senator for the East Marches Bayrum Mizil, senator for the North Marches Tuva Marchant, senator for the West Marches Kaspira Blue, senator for Prekara Lord Eldon Samad, senator for Asha Balthasar Lys, senator for the South Marches The Rhyllians
Lord Vespus Corrigan, former ambassador to Rhannon, half-brother to Melisia Rasmus Corrigan, attaché to Lincel, son of Vespus Lincel, ambassador to Rhannon Aphora, Lord Corrigan’s lover
Melisia, queen of Rhylla
Caspar, consort of the queen of Rhylla Eirlys, daughter of the queen of Rhylla Baron Harcel Argus, friend to Eirlys Others
Dain Waters, district commander of the Decorum Ward Meeren Vine, captain of the Decorum Ward Luvian Fen, political advisor
Arkady Rathbone, agitator
Acknowledgements
As ever, the first shout out is for my agent, Claire Wilson. I am a hideous person and she bears me with such generosity and grace. I don’t deserve her, but the wonderful thing about brilliant people is their very existence encourages you to endeavour being worth them. I’ll keep trying, Claire.
Thanks to Rosie Price and Miriam Tobin at RCW too.
Huge thanks to my trifecta of editors at Scholastic UK: Genevieve Herr, Jenny Glencross and Lauren Fortune. The world of Sorrow is so vast, and dense, and I wouldn’t have been able to navigate it without your guidance. Extra thanks to Pete Matthews, for once again having to deal with when I try to out-copyedit him (I’ve literally just submitted my copyedits, so I hope this massively public sucking-up takes the edge off a little…)
Playing the same old song for Jamie Gregory, in honour of ANOTHER exceptional cover. Five for five now. Thank you for always making my stories look beautiful.
Also thanks to Scholastic’s finest: Lorraine Keating, Penelope Daukes, Roisin O’Shea and Olivia Horrox, for all of your hard work on getting my words out there into the world. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes who works so hard too. Thanks to my lovely author friends for the wine and the chats and the cry-laughing: Sara Barnard; Holly Bourne, CJ Daugherty; Katie and Kevin Webber-Tsang; Samantha Shannon; Alwyn Hamilton; Kiran Millwood-Hargrave; Anna James; Rainbow Rowell; Catherine Doyle; Moira Fowley-Doyle; Dave Rudden; and all of Team: Prosecco and Secrets. And also Team: Floored; Non Pratt; Lisa Williamson; Tanya Byrne; and Eleanor Wood. And to my new pal, Anna Day. I’m so lucky to know you all.
Always super special thanks to my best bro, Emilie Lyons. She’s the Andy to my Paula, the Ricky Baker to my Uncle Hec.
Love to Sophie Reynolds; Lizzy Evans; Franziska Schmidt, and the whole Schmidt clan; Katja Rammer and the whole Rammer clan; Pam and Denis Lyons, and the Allports; Bevin Robinson; Hannah Dare; Neil Bird; Stine Stueland; Laura Hughes and Sara Scherbatsky; Asma Z; my brother Steven; Auntie Penny and family; Kelly; Tina and Craig; Billie; Auntie Cath, and Uncle Paul.
And thanks to you, if you’re reading this. I don’t know if this is the first book of mine you’ve read, but I sure hope it won’t be the last.