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

They spent hours searching for the elusive beast. Shadows played tricks on their eyes. A few times the men thought they had seen a feminine figure in the sea. When they approached to check, however, there was nothing but the glimmer of light on top of the water.


“We may have to return another time,” Doreius whispered to the captain. Even the oarsmen had lost their customary stone-faced expressions. They seemed disconcerted by their lack of success on the water.


Thea turned her with pursed lips. “Not yet please. Let me try one more thing.”


Driada slipped away from the queen’s side. “All right. We’ll turn around and check once more, but then we must go back to shore. It’s not safe for you to be out here so long.”


Chapter 35