Author/Uploaded by Andrea Stewart
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Copyright © 2023 by Andrea Stewart Cover design by Lauren Panepinto Cover art by S...
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Copyright © 2023 by Andrea Stewart Cover design by Lauren Panepinto Cover art by Sasha Vinogradova Cover copyright © 2023 by Hachette Book Group, Inc. Map by Charis Loke Hachette Book Group supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights. Orbit Hachette Book Group 1290 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10104 orbitbooks.net First Edition: April 2023 Simultaneously published in Great Britain by Orbit Orbit is an imprint of Hachette Book Group. The Orbit name and logo are trademarks of Little, Brown Book Group Limited. The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher. The Hachette Speakers Bureau provides a wide range of authors for speaking events. To find out more, go to hachettespeakersbureau.com or email [email protected]. Orbit books may be purchased in bulk for business, educational, or promotional use. For information, please contact your local bookseller or the Hachette Book Group Special Markets Department at [email protected]. Library of Congress Control Number: 2022948351 ISBNs: 9780316541510 (hardcover), 9780316541534 (ebook) E3-20230225-JV-NF-ORI Contents Cover Title Page Copyright Dedication Map Chapter 1. Nisong: Gaelung Island Chapter 2. Lin: Imperial Island Chapter 3. Jovis: In the Endless Sea, south of Riya Chapter 4. Jovis: In the Endless Sea, north of Imperial Chapter 5. Lin: Imperial Island Chapter 6. Ranami: Nephilanu Island Chapter 7. Lin: Imperial Island Chapter 8. Phalue: Imperial Island Chapter 9. Nisong: A small isle south of Gaelung Chapter 10. Lin: Anau Isle Chapter 11. Jovis: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 12. Ranami: Nephilanu Island Chapter 13. Phalue: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 14. Jovis: Hualin Or Chapter 15. Jovis: Hualin Or Chapter 16. Nisong: A small isle near Gaelung Chapter 17. Nisong: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 18. Lin: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 19. Phalue: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 20. Lin: Maila Island Chapter 21. Nisong: An island near Maila Chapter 22. Jovis: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 23. Ranami: Nephilanu Island Chapter 24. Jovis: Riya Island Chapter 25. Lin: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 26. Jovis: Riya Island Chapter 27. Lin: Riya Chapter 28. Jovis: Riya Island Chapter 29. Lin: Riya Island Chapter 30. Nisong: Riya Island Chapter 31. Lin: Riya Island Chapter 32. Lin: Riya Island Chapter 33. Jovis: Riya Island Chapter 34. Lin: Riya Island Chapter 35. Jovis: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 36. Jovis: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 37. Ranami: Nephilanu Island Chapter 38. Ranami: Nephilanu Island Chapter 39. Lin: Somewhere in the Endless Sea Chapter 40. Phalue: Nephilanu Island Chapter 41. Ranami: Nephilanu Island Chapter 42. Lin: Imperial Island Chapter 43. Jovis: Imperial Island Chapter 44. Lin: Imperial Island Chapter 45. Jovis: Imperial Island Chapter 46. Lin: Imperial Island Chapter 47. Phalue: Imperial Island Chapter 48. Jovis: Imperial Island Chapter 49. Nisong: Imperial Island Chapter 50. Lin: Imperial Island Chapter 51. Nisong: Imperial Island Chapter 52. Lin: Imperial Island Chapter 53. Jovis: Imperial Island Chapter 54. Ranami: Imperial BY ANDREA STEWART THE DROWNING EMPIRE The Bone Shard Daughter The Bone Shard Emperor The Bone Shard War For my brother, Kavin, who is always encouraging me to dream bigger 1 Nisong Gaelung Island Nisong was used to death. She was even used to having death follow her from place to place, content as a pup on the heels of its master. But she hadn’t counted on it coming for her throat. “I told you they’d be after me,” Ragan hissed. She clutched his arm, pulling him close so she could whisper into his ear. “Quiet.” Lozhi crouched on her other side in the ruins, a soft whine in his throat. Ragan shrugged off her hand. “Take it out. You wanted to wait? Fine. The time is now.” She wanted to walk away and to keep walking until she had no idea where she was or where he was, no matter how hard she’d worked to find him after the battle at Gaelung. Several months of scraping by, of avoiding discovery, of frenzied searching in the midst of grief. She’d tracked him to a drinking hall, though it had taken her a moment to recognize him. He’d smelled of sour sweat, his once-shorn hair grown over his ears. He hadn’t been wearing the monk’s robes anymore; he’d traded those in for farmer’s clothes – all in brown and faded white, with a straw hat to hide his face. It had taken a long time for them to come to an understanding. He’d fought her every step of the way, convinced he didn’t need to rely on anyone, least of all a construct. But she was the only one other than Lin who could remove the shard from his body and she dangled this knowledge like a fishing lure, teasing and pulling away,