What on Earth could be happening?
I heard it was another Critch attack.
Down at the harbor.
They grow bolder by the day.
It's that Sparas, I shouldn't wonder.
Come to slaughter us all in our beds.
Louisa, come. We mustn't be out in the open.
Leonid, why do you suppose there are constables
outside the Spurnrose house?
How very curious.
Perhaps Ezra has returned from Ragusa.
I wonder if he found Imogen.
He swore he wouldn't return without her.
Either way, as good neighbors, it's practically our duty
to find out the news, don't you think?
Stand aside, please, young man.
Approved visitors only.
- I beg your pardon. - Sorry, ma'am.
There's nothing I can do.
My brother and I are friends of Mr. Spurnrose.
Now, if you'd be so good...
Dear, we really should get inside.
Is there a problem, Officer?
Mr. Astrayon?
What on Earth are you doing here?
And where are Ezra and Imogen?
-
Take cover!
Hold the line, here!
-
We-we should make for the docks,
and see if our ship is...
- We have to keep moving. -
Yeah.
Comrades, this way.
Hurry.
-
We need ammunition to rejoin the battle.
Which of you will go back for some?
Comrade.
- You will go. -
Agreus!
Run, Imogen!
- Run! - Agreus!
We, uh, can't stay here.
We'll avoid the sea. Escape across the inland border.
No. Imogen, Imogen,
we'll turn ourselves in to the Pact.
We'll tell them we are Burguish, they are our allies.
That's... that's stupid. They'll kill Agreus.
No, no.
We'll tell them he's our manservant.
- It's worth the risk.
- For you, perhaps. - Imogen, I have been...
Enough!
We head inland.
Once the battle is behind us, we consider our options.
All right?
Stay if you like.
We'll need water before long.
We've nothing to carry it with.
True.
Mr. Spurnrose.
Perhaps, if you're not too busy,
you might trouble yourself to find something
we can use for water.
Oh, yes, sire.
Your message is received, Mr. Astrayon.
I know exactly what you think of me.
No, you-you don't.
I'd be glad of that, if I were you.
It's clear who's really in charge though, isn't it?
Huh?
You mustn't blame yourself, you mustn't.
I... I could never really
control my sister, so...
...what hope have you got?
Now, it hardly matters, I suppose.
Once we're out of this hellhole, I doubt we'll ever meet again.
Is that a promise? I can hardly wait.
There's my sister.
Now, you'll come to know that tone very well.
You see, you don't know darling Imogen like I do.
You can't see she is rotten to the core.
Imogen is the finest woman I've ever known.
If you can't see that, I-I pity you.
Hmm. She's got you twisted around her little finger.
You think she is a precious paragon of virtue.
Your poor devil beast of a heart.
I advise you to hold your tongue.
I was to be married, did you know that?
- Ezra, don't... - But dear, sweet Imogen
couldn't bear the thought of being stuck
as my spinster sister.
"The shame of it, Ezra!
The shame of it."
You see, sir, Imogen lies.
When I met a woman I thought I might have
some chance of a happiness with,
my-my sister would sprinkle her poison.
And this, uh, word would spread that I was a tyrant, a monster.
That I'd raised my fist to her.
And soon, that woman would be gone.
It would just be the two of us,
rattling around that old house again.
Until I met another woman, another chance of happiness.
- And more poison, more lies... - That's not why they left you, Ezra!
But all those lies caught up with her, didn't they?
Didn't they?
And the word got out that the lovely Miss Spurnrose
was a scheming little snake
and people finally saw her for who she was.
- Don't listen to him, Agreus. - You should listen to me.
Agreus, you should listen to me, for your own sake.
Didn't you ever wonder why she wasn't married?
Come on.
She is beautiful,
she's from a-a respected family.
And yet, when you arrived, she's so desperate to meet a man
she's sousing herself in Trow's piss.
The day you moved in next door
was the luckiest day of her wretched life.
A man ignorant of her reputation.
And with no reputation of his own to lose.
I'm sorry you had to hear that.
I'm a very different person now.
It's not my place to judge you.
Are you sure about that?
Mm.
I spent five years sweating in the hold of a cargo ship.
One night, with three years left on my contract...
...some of my fellow laborers slipped away.
The next morning, the foreman came and said
whoever told him where they went would get 200 gold coins
and their freedom.
How horrible. Anyone would have been torn...
Not me.
I gave them up instantly.
Barely even thought about it.
I was offered the chance for freedom.
I took it.
I can only imagine.
I suppose you did...
...what you had to do to survive.
But there's more.
I wanted more.
More than survival.
I wanted real freedom.
Money, security.
I wanted to make my fortune.
I hired on as a skipjack...
...hunting fae fugitives.
I was good.
They trusted me.
I was one of them.
And if they fought back, I would use force,
sometimes deadly force.
Now, they broke the rules, they signed the contract, they...
I learned to feel nothing for them.
Everything that I have built was bought with their blood.
Goodness.
Sorry, I...
I take, I take it all back.
You two really are made for each other.
It's the Pact.
What do we do?
Wait here. Let them pass.
Then we strike out across the valley.
- All right. - I don't think so.
I think we should introduce ourselves.
Don't be a fool. They'll kill Agreus...
Run, if you like.
I won't shoot you.
But you touch my sister...
- Help! Help! - Shut up.
Help!
They've gone.
will flow into
You know, it's not your fault.
You killed him to save us.
I actually wasn't thinking about Ezra at all.
What does that say about me?
Only that you're in shock.
It's all right, my love.
I'll look after you.
That's exactly what Ezra would have said.
Perhaps you need to take a break
- and... - Don't tell me what to do.
I just think...
You think you know what's best for me.
As usual.
I love you.
Yes.
But you take that as license to control me.
It is not.
You're reacting to what happened.
You're not yourself.
And who are you?
You love your own freedom so much
you sold strangers into bondage.
You built your fortune and bought your status
by putting other people in chains.
But I won't let you do that to me.
I'm not trying to control you, Imogen.
Aren't you?
I've spent my entire life
taking orders from people who were supposed to love me.
Being told to smile and be silent.
Being told how to dress and what to expect
and how very, very small my dreams were allowed to be.
I know exactly what it feels like
when someone is trying to control me.
I am not your brother.
No. You're worse!
You did despicable things
just for the chance to be like him!
Him and all the other small-minded men
who think it's their right to control the fate
of every breathing creature in the world.
You want power.
But I won't give you power over me.
I am not some porcelain doll
for you to display in your drawing room
And I'm not a mindless child
who needs you to choose for me.
I don't belong to you.
And I don't need your protection.
I am free, today.
And I won't trade that for any man's love.
Not even yours.
Comrades.
I'm so glad that you found us.
We were... Our unit was ambushed a while back and we...
...lost our way.
I was about to give up.
Luckily,
you left us a little clue.
Agreus.
I see them.
Time to lay your brother to rest.
Mm-mm.
Please, no. I...
That's an order.
Comrades.
Try not to look.
- Imogen. -
- Imogen, look at me. -
The rich of Ragusa.
Entitled.
Refusing to be reeducated.
A tragedy.
I am sure you believe I wanted this.
That I look at the stinking bodies of my enemies
with pleasure.
But I feel...
only shame.
I thought the revolution would be like a river.
That it would grow and swell in size and strength until...
...it washed away everything
that was wicked in the world.
But I was wrong.
It is not a river.
It is a hurricane.
It destroys everything in its path.
When we finally have peace,
we will celebrate in the ruins.
But not yet.
We have driven back the last of the Pact army,
but they refuse to admit defeat.
And the Burgue is still their ally.
I had hoped you would come to our cause of your own free will,
but...
seems that was not to be.
If you want to kill us, why not shoot us
and just be done with it?
Are you so eager to join your brother?
I'd rather that than rot in prison.
Words from my own heart.
There is so much we have in common.
If only we had time to know each other.
But we do not.
Instead, I must send you to the Burgue.
What?
As my emissaries.
Along with Kastor.
I will put you all on an airship,
to fly fast.
You will bear a message from me.
I'm sure it is one you will be glad to deliver.
Why?
What's the message?
Terms for peace,
between your nation and mine.
So that our hurricane need never come to your country
and you need never see the fields of the Burgue
grow such a bitter crop.
So...
...will you take my terms to your parliament?
Attention!
This is absolute madness.
Now, gentlemen, we agreed to hear them out.
We're utterly exposed out here.
May as well hold up a sign to the Sparas
saying, "Dinner is served."
Millworthy, we'd best make this quick.
Miss Spurnrose,
Mr. Astrayon, and, um...
Mr. Kastor, I believe?
- Comrade Kastor, if you please. - Oh, good grief.
You've come as emissaries on behalf
- of the New Dawn. - Which our government does not officially recognize.
So we have made time to give you a brief meeting.
A very brief meeting.
I think you will find, gentlemen, that it is
- in your best interest... - Right now,
the rest of your sort are locked up on the Row where they belong.
So may I suggest you keep your mouth shut?
Out with it, girl. We haven't got all day.
I have been asked to present a peace treaty to Parliament
on behalf of the New Dawn.
Parliament would never allow it.
The Burgue is an ally of the Pact.
The New Dawn also requires the immediate
cessation of arms shipments to the Pact.
In which case, you would also cease to be allies.
That should simplify things, shouldn't it?
This is preposterous. Miss Spurnrose,
you will not be presenting
this nonsense to Parliament.
Quite so, Mr. Fletcher.
Now, if we're finished here...
I am as Burguish as you, gentlemen.
I was born here, I was brought up here,
and I have returned here at great personal risk
to speak to Parliament. And I will speak to them,
because it is my legal right, as a free citizen
of good standing and property,
to address the council in matters of national importance
in a time of war.
This law is as old as our land, and no true Burguishman
would dare defy the traditions on which our republic is built.
You cannot deny me.
Miss Spurnrose is correct.
Legally...
we are obliged
to hear her out.
I imagine this is why the New Dawn have sent you.
Yes, I imagine you're right.
Well, then, we'll arrange matters.
I hope you know what you're doing.
Mr. Astrayon?
What on Earth are you doing here?
And where are Ezra and Imogen?
Louisa. Leonid.
Hello.
My dear, you, uh...
...you look...
- What I mean to say is that... - We're delighted to see you've returned.
We've been so worried about you.
You're very kind.
And what of your brother?
When last we spoke, he was rather...
distraught about your sudden departure.
I'm afraid Ezra's dead.
By the Martyr, poor chap.
If I may inquire, h-how did he...?
Unexpectedly.
Why, then, who's taking care of you?
Indeed. Surely you aren't
staying here...
alone?
I'm not.
Yes, well...
you must be exhausted, my dear.
Yes. Do let us know if there's...
anything we-we can do.
I'm sorry I kissed your hand.
I'm sorry I took yours.
-
He was one of our best.
Berwick trusted you!
So did fucking I!
The Sparas is male.
So, in its human form, you're looking for a man.
How the hell do you know that?
The male and the female, they kill differently.
The males have larger spina-dentes.
Say again?
Teeth along the spine.
From what I could make out, the lacerations to Berwick's...
This one's male.
How is that useful?
It narrows it down.
To half the fucking city!
Who are you really helping here, huh?
Us? Or do you just feel like shit
for wanting to crawl off back to Tirnanoc
with your little Critch friends
and now Berwick is off to a cold slab?
I thought you should know.
Now you know.
Yeah, all right!
So it's a male!
Have you got anything else?
Sergeant! Over here!
Bloody hell.
They're Burguish Marines.
The tide's bringing more in. There's dozens.
They were on the ships.
Balefire was sending troops.
What for? The fae were happy to be leaving.
They wouldn't make trouble.
They weren't there for the fae.
They're gonna retake Tirnanoc.
Get back in there.
Back inside. Keep moving!
Tourmaline? Tourmaline?
- Tourmaline! - Get inside.
Keep moving!
Thank the Martyr.
Are you all right?
I saw it.
I saw what's coming for me.
Well, if it does,
it'll have to get through me.
Is it true?
Your Raven turned on us?
Well, is it?!
Vignette?
Vignette!
Vignette?
What are you doing?
Telling the Raven I want to meet.
Will you look after her?
I'm not letting her out of my sight.
The Black Raven have gone feral.
You need to stay away from them.
Those ships were everyone's way out.
They were our way out!
Not mine.
It was nice to pretend, but the Sight is never wrong.
Don't say that.
I'm gonna get you out.
She's gonna get you out?
By going after the Raven?
All by yourself.
They'll be laying low. If anyone can find them...
And if you do?
I'll find a way to stop them.
Vignette, wait! I can explain!
- Oh, you bastard!
We had one chance to go home.
One bit of hope, and you took it away from us.
Just listen to me!
Stop!
Get fucked, Kaine.
- No! -
Get the fuck off me! Get fu...
Fucking traitors, the lot of you!
All right, all right, calm down, missy.
Look, let me take her off your hands.
There's still a fat bounty on her head.
I'll tell you what...
I'll knock it off the rent.
You'd sell your own mother for a wink and ten stivers,
but the rest of you?
Oona would be ashamed of you!
She wanted freedom for all of us, and you took that away!
You're wrong, Vini.
You weren't sailing those people to freedom.
Just another cage.
What the hell are you talking about?
Did you know?
Did I know about what?
The troops.
On our ships.
Philo, how do you imagine I got those ships so fast?
I convinced the military
to take the faefolk aboard.
They were going there anyway.
To retake Tirnanoc?
Yes. The Pact had retreated,
the old colonies were abandoned,
and the Parliament wanted them back.
Stealing the Pix homeland.
How's that helping the fae?
Martyr's sake, Philo.
I found a way to help them escape from the Row.
You've no idea the sordid deals I had to make
with those disgusting little men, with their fantasies
of supremacy and world domination.
So the moment when it came to act,
I seized the only opportunity to help the fae.
I manipulated those cowardly bigots
to use the fae as cover
for their military schemes.
I delayed the ships from sailing to make it happen.
And now look at all this.
All these dead.
For which I am,
in part, to blame.
The Raven found out.
That's why they attacked.
Those ships were sending the first troops.
We had to sink them before they left the harbor.
And before any fae got on board.
But feck you for thinking we'd want to hurt our own kind.
They were betraying you, Vini.
They were betraying us all.
Why would they join with the Sparas?
Didn't you say
it killed two Black Raven?
It's killing humans and fae.
Pitting us against each other.
A decent copper--
best I knew--
figured that out.
Question is, why?
Philo... what do you know about the New Dawn?
The Burgue never wanted Tirnanoc to be free.
I've been such a fool.
You tried to tell me.
I just didn't want to listen.
We're not a lost cause anymore, Vini.
We got new friends.
We're not fighting this alone.
What friends?
Their emissaries arrived yesterday
to broker a new peace deal.
Convenient timing.
And our spies tell us that the Pact is
on the point of surrendering.
The New Dawn have just defeated the Burgue's greatest enemy.
If this is the New Dawn...
it's not peace they're after.
They're bringing a revolution.
The Black Raven respect you, Comrade.
Are you ready to lead them?