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

“Must I be bound like this?” he whined as she wrapped rope around his wrists.


I can’t seem to pin this man’s personality down. One moment he seems overconfident, and the next he is like a pathetic animal.She tightened the rope with a hard pull, and he groaned. “I think you’re forgetting who I am. I have Pirei on my side. Can your people say the same?”


“The gods are easily swayed,” he said softly. The wary look in his eyes suggested he believed the Iosians would go recklessly into battle, and not return in one piece. “And you are not the only ones living under their watchful eye. We have our gods, too.”


“Then let us hope they are on your side today,” Driada said dryly. “You will need all the luck you can get when negotiating with the tribesmen.”


Chapter 45