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
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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.”