Most people in Ios know better than to challenge Vivarre and its powerful navy. Queen Thea, however, is not afraid to challenge anyone who gets in her way. For years, her kingdom has been supported by pirates. They sail the Iosian sea and raid any ship they come across for resources.<br><br>When Thea takes the throne she is challenged by enemies and allies alike. Though women can be warriors, they can never be true rulers. She hopes to change that belief, but she cannot do it alone. Driada is the only female pirate enlisted in Ios. She has served her kingdom faithfully for years, her dedication inspired by her father’s work on the royal ships. When she sees injustices being done against innocent people, she cannot simply sit idle while they suffer.<br><br>When these two bold, powerful women meet, it is obvious that they must form an alliance to keep Ios safe. But this alliance quickly shifts from being solely a political move, to one of the heart. Thea is forced to decide which path will lead to victory -- fighting Vivarre without divine help or betraying her promise to never bow down to the gods ever again.

Thea

When she came to the tavern, dressed plainly and with her face covered by a hood, she was not the queen; she was just a common woman, like the rest of them. Or so she liked to pretend. It was evident that her presence did unsettle something in the people there—sometimes she thought she was too well groomed to truly fit in. Or perhaps she didn’t fit in because she was too quiet, preferring to keep to the corner of the room where she could sit away from the crowd. She enjoyed watching those around her and listen in on the conversations. She was careful to avoid faces she recognized, especially palace staff or captains of her fleet.


Chapter 7