The Sea Watch (92 page)

Salute the Dark

The Scarab Path

Picking who to acknowledge is a strange game this far into a series, as it’s the same people as before, for the most part: Simon Kavanagh, Peter Lavery, Julie Crisp, Chloe Healy, all the usual suspects at Tor, Annie and my family, all the friends who’ve supported me and continue to do so. Particular thanks go to Jon Cole, who has turned up unexpectedly at conventions and signings covering a broad swathe of the country; my father, for assistance with the oceanography; to Helen, Joff, Gareth, Frances and Dan for being such tireless hosts every time I hit Oxford; and to Wayne and Krissy for similar honours in London.

Collegium and its allies in the Lowlands have reached an uneasy truce with the Wasp Empire. While the Wasps deal with their internal divisions, the statesman Stenwold Maker finds himself mired in personal battles, hunting his missing ward, Tynisa and awaiting the return of his niece, Cheerwell, from her diplomatic mission to the distant city of Khanaphes.

On the political home front, his efforts to reach peace with the neighbouring Ant city-state of Vek hang in the balance – a peace that is essential if Collegium is to defend itself against the Empire’s next encroachment – and the new leadership of Collegium’s governing body is shortly to be voted upon, deciding whether the future will be guided by Stenwold’s ally, Jodry Drillen, or his bitter enemy Helmess Broiler.

A complete list of characters, places and other things can be found at the back of the book.

First published 2011 by Tor

This electronic edition published 2011 by Tor
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ISBN 978-0-330-51146-9 PDF
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Copyright © Adrian Czajkowski 2011

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