Part of October Daye
First published 2019
The Luidaeg calls in her debts. Centuries ago, the sea witch granted the Selkies access to the ocean in exchange for a future payment. Now she demands what they owe, and October "Toby" Daye cannot refuse to help. Toby owes the Luidaeg her own debts, binding her to this dangerous mission. They sail to the Duchy of Ships to gather the Selkies and deliver the Luidaeg's ultimatum: pay the price or face destruction. The convocation spirals into chaos when Dianda Lorden faces arrest for treason against the Undersea. A Selkie loses her skin and dies under mysterious circumstances. Ancient bargains unravel as political tensions explode. Toby finds herself caught between competing loyalties and mounting violence. She must navigate treacherous waters both literal and metaphorical, where one wrong move could doom the Selkies forever. The question becomes whether Toby can stay afloat when everything around her threatens to drag her under.
Genres: adventure, mystery, fantasy, adult-fiction, urban-fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, fast-paced, political-intrigue, suspenseful
Tropes: debt-repayment, forced-proximity, found-family, political-intrigue
Setting: Duchy of Ships, Undersea
368 pages · Hardcover · DAW Books
Content warnings: death, violence