Dark Age Read online

  Dark Age is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2019 by Pierce Brown

  Map copyright © 2019 by Joel Daniel Phillips

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Del Rey, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

  DEL REY and the HOUSE colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

  Hardback ISBN 9780425285947

  International edition ISBN 9781984817501

  Ebook ISBN 9780425285954

  randomhousebooks.com

  Book design by Caroline Cunningham, adapted for ebook

  Cover design: Faceout Studio, Charles Brock

  Cover illustrations: © Shutterstock

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  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Map: The Planet Mercury: Continent of Helios

  Dramatis Personae

  The Sovereign

  Prologue

  Part I: Mischief

  Chapter 1: Darrow: Till the Vale

  Chapter 2: Lysander: Annihilo

  Chapter 3: Darrow: Storm God

  Chapter 4: Lysander: Ajax, Son of Aja

  Chapter 5: Darrow: Voyager Cloak

  Chapter 6: Lysander: Carnivores

  Chapter 7: Darrow: The Calm

  Chapter 8: Lysander: The Machine

  Chapter 9: Darrow: Angelia

  Chapter 10: Lysander: The Ash Rain

  Chapter 11: Darrow: Red Reach

  Chapter 12: Lysander: White Golems

  Chapter 13: Darrow: Plains of Caduceus

  Chapter 14: Lysander: Into the Storm

  Chapter 15: Darrow: Tyche

  Chapter 16: Lysander: Rider of the Storm

  Chapter 17: Darrow: Heliopolis

  Part II: Craft

  Chapter 18: Virginia: Sovereign

  Chapter 19: Virginia: Stiletto

  Chapter 20: Virginia: Politicos

  Chapter 21: Ephraim: Mauler, Brawler, Legacy Hauler

  Chapter 22: Ephraim: Unshorn

  Chapter 23: Ephraim: Queen

  Chapter 24: Ephraim: Skuggi

  Chapter 25: Virginia: Oligarchs

  Chapter 26: Virginia: The Goblin’s Prey

  Chapter 27: Virginia: Pack

  Chapter 28: Ephraim: Karachi

  Chapter 29: Virginia: The Dust of Reverie

  Chapter 30: Virginia: Ocular Sphere

  Chapter 31: Virginia: Day of Red Doves

  Chapter 32: Darrow: In Wake

  Chapter 33: Darrow: The Devil’s Deal

  Chapter 34: Lysander: Shadows of War

  Chapter 35: Darrow: Endure

  Chapter 36: Lyria: Victim

  Chapter 37: Ephraim: Heart of Venus

  Chapter 38: Lysander: The Horizon

  Chapter 39: Lysander: The Mind’s Eye

  Chapter 40: Ephraim: Kjrdakan

  Chapter 41: Ephraim: Obsidian Rising

  Part III: Treason

  Chapter 42: Lysander: A Chorus Upon the Pale

  Chapter 43: Lysander: The Enemy

  Chapter 44: Ephraim: Hunt of the Last Light

  Chapter 45: Ephraim: Nightgaze

  Chapter 46: Ephraim: Whirlpool

  Chapter 47: Lyria: They Are Sleeping

  Chapter 48: Lyria: Monsters

  Chapter 49: Lyria: Run

  Chapter 50: Lyria: Parasite

  Chapter 51: Lyria: Jade Witch

  Chapter 52: Ephraim: Pale Rain

  Chapter 53: Virginia: Pandemonium

  Chapter 54: Virginia: Justice of the Meek

  Chapter 55: Virginia: The Wolf and the Mother

  Chapter 56: Virginia: A Maze with No Center

  Chapter 57: Virginia: Black Cathedral

  Chapter 58: Darrow: Sevro’s Palace

  Chapter 59: Lysander: The Impaler

  Chapter 60: Lysander: Pup One

  Chapter 61: Darrow: Hero of Tyche

  Chapter 62: Lysander: The Warlord and the Libertine

  Chapter 63: Darrow: Unremarkable

  Chapter 64: Lysander: To Master a Maker

  Chapter 65: Lyria: Ulysses

  Chapter 66: Lyria: The Julii’s Bill

  Chapter 67: Lyria: Numb

  Chapter 68: Lyria: Shh

  Chapter 69: Lyria: The Childwives

  Chapter 70: Lyria: Thunder Bottle

  Chapter 71: Ephraim: From the Static

  Chapter 72: Lyria: One Last Tooth

  Chapter 73: Lyria: At Last, She Screams

  Chapter 74: Ephraim: Son of the Rising

  Chapter 75: Ephraim: Grarnir

  Chapter 76: Ephraim: He Who Walks the Void

  Chapter 77: Ephraim: Worthy

  Part IV: Pride

  Chapter 78: Lysander: A Visitor

  Chapter 79: Darrow: Bad Blood

  Chapter 80: Lysander: Heir of Arcos

  Chapter 81: Darrow: Dark Age

  Chapter 82: Lysander: This Summons Legions

  Chapter 83: Darrow: Hazard Bedlam

  Chapter 84: Darrow: Meat Straw

  Chapter 85: Lysander: Lune Invictus

  Chapter 86: Darrow: Legion’s End

  Chapter 87: Lysander: Ghost

  Chapter 88: Lyria: Mercury Has Fallen

  Chapter 89: Lysander: Triumph of the Long Night

  Chapter 90: Lysander: The Love Knight

  Chapter 91: Virginia: Salvation or Vengeance

  Chapter 92: Lysander: Graveyard of Tyrants

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  By Pierce Brown

  About the Author

  THE SOLAR REPUBLIC

  DARROW OF LYKOS/THE REAPER Former ArchImperator of the Solar Republic, husband to Virginia, a Red

  VIRGINIA AU AUGUSTUS/MUSTANG Reigning Sovereign of the Solar Republic, wife to Darrow, Primus of House Augustus, sister to the Jackal of Mars, a Gold

  PAX Son of Darrow and Virginia, a Gold

  KIERAN OF LYKOS Brother to Darrow, Howler, a Red

  RHONNA Niece of Darrow, daughter of Kieran, lancer, Pup Two, a Red

  DEANNA Mother to Darrow, a Red

  SEVRO AU BARCA/THE GOBLIN Imperator of the Republic, husband to Victra, Howler, a Gold

  VICTRA AU BARCA Wife to Sevro, neé Victra au Julii, a Gold

  ELECTRA AU BARCA Daughter of Sevro and Victra, a Gold

  DANCER/SENATOR O’FARAN Senator, former Sons of Ares lieutenant, husband to Deanna, Tribune of the Red bloc, a Red

  KAVAX AU TELEMANUS Primus of House Telemanus, client of House Augustus, a Gold

&n
bsp; NIOBE AU TELEMANUS Wife to Kavax, client of House Augustus, a Gold

  DAXO AU TELEMANUS Heir of House Telemanus, son of Kavax and Niobe, senator, Tribune of the Gold bloc, a Gold

  THRAXA AU TELEMANUS Praetor of the Free Legions, daughter of Kavax and Niobe, Howler, a Gold

  ALEXANDAR AU ARCOS Eldest grandson of Lorn au Arcos, heir to House Arcos, allied to House Augustus, lancer, Pup One, a Gold

  CADUS HARNASSUS Imperator of the Republic, second in command of the Free Legions, an Orange

  ORION XE AQUARII Navarch of the Republic, Imperator of the White Fleet, a Blue

  COLLOWAY XE CHAR A pilot, reigning kill-leader of the Republic Navy, Howler, a Blue

  GLIRASTES THE MASTER MAKER Architect and inventor, an Orange

  HOLIDAY TI NAKAMURA Dux of Virginia’s Lionguard, sister to Trigg, client of House Augustus, Centurion of the Pegasus Legion, a Gray

  QUICKSILVER/REGULUS AG SUN Richest man in the Republic, head of Sun Industries, a Silver

  PUBLIUS CU CARAVAL Tribune of the Copper bloc, senator, a Copper

  THEODORA Leader of the Splinter operatives, client of House Augustus, a Rose Pink

  ZAN ArchImperator of the Republic following Darrow’s removal, commander of Luna’s defense fleet, a Blue

  CLOWN Howler, client of House Barca, a Gold

  PEBBLE Howler, client of House Barca, a Gold

  MIN-MIN Howler, sniper and munitions expert, client of House Barca, a Red

  SCREWFACe Howler, client of House Augustus, a Gold

  MARBLES Howler, hacker, a Green

  TONGUELESS Former prisoner at Deepgrave, an Obsidian

  FELIX AU DAAN Bodyguard to Darrow, client of House Augustus, a Gold

  THE SOCIETY

  ATALANTIA AU GRIMMUS Dictator of the Society, daughter of the Ash Lord Magnus au Grimmus, sister to Aja and Moira, former client of House Lune, a Gold

  LYSANDER AU LUNE Grandson of former Sovereign Octavia, heir to House Lune, former patron of House Grimmus, a Gold

  ATLAS AU RAA/THE FEAR KNIGHT Brother to Romulus au Raa, Legate of the Zero Legion (“the Gorgons”), former ward of House Lune, client of House Grimmus, a Gold

  AJAX/THE STORM KNIGHT Son of Aja au Grimmus and Atlas au Raa, heir of House Grimmus, Legate of the Iron Leopards, a Gold

  KALINDORA AU SAN/THE LOVE KNIGHT Olympic Knight, aunt to Alexandar au Arcos, client of House Grimmus, a Gold

  JULIA AU BELLONA Cassius’s estranged mother and Darrow’s enemy, Primus of the House Bellona remnant, a Gold

  SCORPIO AU VOTUM Primus of House Votum (the metal mining magnates and builders of Mercury), a Gold

  CICERO AU VOTUM Heir to House Votum, son of Scorpio, Legate of the Scorpion Legion, a Gold

  ASMODEUS AU CARTHII Primus of House Carthii (the shipbuilders of Venus), a Gold

  RHONE TI FLAVINIUS Lunese subPraetor, former second officer of the XIII Dracones Praetorian Guard under Aja, a Gray

  SENECA AU CERN Dux of Ajax, Centurion of the Iron Leopards, a Gold

  MAGNUS AU GRIMMUS/THE ASH LORD Former ArchImperator to Octavia au Lune, the Burner of Rhea, a Gold, killed by the Howlers and Apollonius au Valii-Rath

  OCTAVIA AU LUNE Former Sovereign of the Society, grandmother to Lysander, a Gold, killed by Darrow

  AJA AU GRIMMUS Daughter of Ash Lord Magnus au Grimmus, a Gold, killed by Sevro

  MOIRA AU GRIMMUS Daughter of Ash Lord Magnus au Grimmus, a Gold, killed by Ragnar

  THE RIM DOMINION

  DIDO AU RAA Co-consul of the Rim Dominion, wife to former Sovereign of the Rim Dominion Romulus au Raa, née Dido au Saud, a Gold

  DIOMEDES AU RAA/THE STORM KNIGHT Son of Romulus and Dido, Taxiarchos of the Lightning Phalanx, a Gold

  SERAPHINA AU RAA Daughter of Romulus and Dido, Lochagos of the Eleventh Dust Walkers, a Gold

  HELIOS AU LUX Co-consul of the Rim Dominion, with Dido, a Gold

  ROMULUS AU RAA/THE LORD OF THE DUST Former Primus of House Raa, former Sovereign of the Rim Dominion, a Gold, killed by ceremonial suicide

  THE OBSIDIAN

  SEFI THE QUIET Queen of the Obsidian, leader of the Valkyrie, sister to Ragnar Volarus, an Obsidian

  VALDIR THE UNSHORN Warlord and royal concubine of Sefi, an Obsidian

  OZGARD Shaman of the Firebones, an Obsidian

  FREIHILD Skuggi spirit warrior, an Obsidian

  GUDKIND Skuggi spirit warrior, an Obsidian

  XENOPHON Advisor to Sefi, a White logos

  RAGNAR VOLARUS Former leader of the Obsidian, Howler, an Obsidian, killed by Aja

  OTHER CHARACTERS

  EPHRAIM TI HORN Freelancer, former member of the Sons of Ares, husband to Trigg ti Nakamura, a Gray

  VOLGA FJORGAN Freelancer, colleague of Ephraim, an Obsidian

  APOLLONIUS AU VALII-RATH/THE MINOTAUR Heir to House Valii-Rath, verbose, a Gold

  THE DUKE OF HANDS Syndicate operative, master thief, a Rose Pink

  LYRIA OF LAGALOS Gamma from Mars, client of House Telemanus, a Red

  LIAM Nephew of Lyria, client of House Telemanus, a Red

  HARMONY Leader of the Red Hand, former Sons of Ares lieutenant, a Red

  PYTHA Pilot, companion to Cassius and Lysander, a Blue

  FIGMENT Freelancer, a Brown

  FITCHNER AU BARCA/ARES Former leader of the Sons of Ares, a Gold, killed by Cassius au Bellona

  “CITIZENS OF THE SOLAR REPUBLIC, this is your Sovereign.”

  I stare half blind into a firing squad of fly-eyed cameras. Out the viewport behind my stage, battle stations and ships of war float beyond the upper atmosphere of Luna.

  Eight billion eyes watch me.

  “On Friday evening last, the third day of the Mensis Martius, I received a brief indicating that a large-scale Society military operation was under way in the orbit of Mercury. The largest in materiel and manpower since the Battle of Mars, five long years ago.

  “We are responsible for this crisis. Lured by the false promises of an enemy plenipotentiary, we allowed our resolve to weaken. We allowed ourselves to believe in the better virtues of our enemy, and that peace was possible with tyrants.

  “That lie, seductive though it was, has been exposed as a cruel machination of statecraft designed, perpetrated, and executed by the newly appointed Dictator of the Society remnant, Atalantia au Grimmus—daughter of the Ash Lord. Under her spell, we compromised with the agents of tyranny. We turned on our greatest general, the sword who broke the chains of bondage, and demanded he accept a peace he knew to be a lie.

  “When he did not, we cried Traitor! Tyrant! Warmonger! In fear of him, we recalled the Home Guard elements of the White Fleet from Mercury back to Luna. We left Imperator Aquarii at half strength, exposed, vulnerable. Now, her fleet, the fleet which freed all our homes, floats in ruins. Two hundred of your ships of war destroyed. Thousands of your sailors killed. Millions of your brothers and sisters marooned upon a hostile sphere. Quadrillions of your wealth squandered. Not by virtue of enemy arms, but by the squabbling of your Senate.

  “I have heard it said in these last months, in the halls of the New Forum, on the streets of Hyperion, on the news channels across our Republic, that we should abandon these sons and daughters of liberty, these Free Legions. I have heard them called, in public, without shame, ‘the Lost Legions.’ Written off by you, despite the courage they have summoned, the endurance they have shown, the horrors they have suffered for you. Written off because we fear to part with our ships will invite invasion of our homeworlds. Because we fear to once again see Society iron over our skies. Because we fear to risk the comforts and freedoms the men and women of the Free Legions purchased for us with their blood…

  “I will tell you what
I fear. I fear time has diluted our dream! I fear that in our comfort, we believe liberty to be self-fulfilling!” I lean forward. “I fear that the meekness of our resolve, the bickering and backbiting on which we have so decadently glutted ourselves, will rob us of the unity of will that moved the world forward to a fairer place, where respect for justice and freedom has found a foothold for the first time in a millennium.

  “I fear that in this disunity we will sink back into the hideous epoch from which we escaped, and that the new dark age will be crueler, more sinister, and more protracted by the malice which we have awoken in our enemies.

  “I call upon you, the People of the Republic, to stand united. To beseech your senators to reject fear. To reject this torpor of self-interest. To not quiver in primal trepidation at the thought of invasion, to not let your senators hoard your wealth for themselves and hide behind your ships of war, but to summon the more wrathful angels of their spirits and send forth the might of the Republic to scourge the engines of tyranny and oppression from the Mercurian sky and rescue our Free Legions.”