This book was written all over the world, from New York to Zurich, LA to Sydney. But at least half of it was written in the city of Venice. Wandering those windswept streets and walking alongside those winter canals, I discovered the story Darkdawn would become. I’ll owe the people and city of Venezia a debt forever, but special mention must go to Ola, the incredible folks at Sullaluna for their daily hospitality, the wonderful signore del caffè at Caffè del Doge, and the staff at Torrefazione Cannaregio and L’Angolo della Pizza for helping me not starve to death.
Lastly, I have to thank you, my amazing readers. This series, more than any other I’ve worked on, has resonated with people in a way I’m still coming to grips with. It’s humbling and it’s astounding and I’ll be eternally grateful for the way you’ve embraced my murderous little bitch of a daughter. Thank you for your letters. Thank you for your art. Thank you for your tattoos and your stories and your passion. Thank you for letting Mia into your heads and your hearts. I hope, in some small way, she helps.
The dream I live is because of you.
The life I have is because of you.
I’ll never forget it.
JK
ALSO BY JAY KRISTOFF
Nevernight
Godsgrave
Aurora Rising (with Amie Kaufman)
Lifel1k3
Dev1at3
Illuminae (with Amie Kaufman)
Gemina (with Amie Kaufman)
Obsidio (with Amie Kaufman)
Stormdancer
Kinslayer
Endsinger
The Last Stormdancer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JAY KRISTOFF is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Lotus War, The Illuminae Files, the Aurora Rising series and The Nevernight Chronicle. He is the winner of six Aurealis Awards and an ABIA, a nominee for the Locus Award and the David Gemmell Morningstar and Legend Awards, has been named multiple times in the Kirkus and Amazon Best Teen Books lists, and his books have been published in more than thirty-five countries, most of which he has never visited. He is as surprised about all of this as you are. He is six foot seven and has approximately 12,015 days to live. He abides in Melbourne with his secret agent kung-fu assassin wife and the world’s laziest Jack Russell. He does not believe in happy endings. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Notice
Dedication
Maps
Dramatis Personae
Epigraph
Book 1: The Dark Within
Chapter 1. Brother
Chapter 2. Boneyards
Chapter 3. Ember
Chapter 4. Gift
Chapter 5. Epiphanies
Chapter 6. Imperator
Chapter 7. Be
Chapter 8. Scoundrel
Chapter 9. Slumber
Book 2: Dying Light
Chapter 10. Infidelity
Chapter 11. Incendiary
Chapter 12. Veritas
Chapter 13. Conspiracy
Chapter 14. Reunions
Chapter 15. Finesse
Chapter 16. Tempest
Chapter 17. Departures
Chapter 18. Tales
Chapter 19. Quiet
Book 3: A House Of Wolves
Chapter 20. Sunder
Chapter 21. Amai
Chapter 22. Vipers
Chapter 23. War
Chapter 24. Majesty
Chapter 25. Heritance
Chapter 26. Promises
Chapter 27. Feed
Chapter 28. Hatred
Chapter 29. Standing
Book 4: The Ashes of Empires
Chapter 30. Could
Chapter 31. Was
Chapter 32. Is
Chapter 33. Wellspring
Chapter 34. Ribbons
Chapter 35. Ashes
Chapter 36. Baptism
Chapter 37. Away
Chapter 38. Momentum
Chapter 39. Fathomless
Book 5: She Wore The Night
Chapter 40. Fate
Chapter 41. Anything
Chapter 42. Carnivalé
Chapter 43. Crimson
Chapter 44. Daughter
Chapter 45. Lover
Chapter 46. Father
Chapter 47. All
Chapter 48. Tithe
Chapter 49. Silence
Chapter 50. Silver
Dicta Ultima
Acknowledgments
Also by Jay Kristoff
About the Author
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
First published in the United States by St. Martin’s Press, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
978-1-250-07304-4 (hardcover)
978-1-4668-8505-9 (ebook)
e 9781466885059
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* Of the three breeds of drake found in Itreyan waters—White, Saber, and Storm—the stormdrake is by far the stupidest. The beasts eat virtually anything that will fit inside their mouths, including fellow stormdrakes and their own young. A complete list of oddities found in stormdrake bellies is kept in the zoology archives of the Iron Collegium, and includes, in no particular order:
a full suit of plate armor
a leather chaise lounge
a six-foot-long timber saw
an entire family of (presumably enraged) porcupines
This habit of eating anything vaguely interesting has earned them the moniker “sewers of the sea” among