Kulniryi Offshore Prison

“Mordrek Willets. Killed a grown man in a bar fight. Shoved a hot poker through his eye.”

He did not bother to rouse at the sound of the prison guard’s voice. Probably just introducing newer officers to their criminal charges so they knew who to avoid. Mordrek wrapped his nasty cloak tighter and rolled across soaking wet straw, pretending he was somewhere else.

Burying his nose in the stinking cloth didn’t block the more unpleasant scents that infested everything: rotting fish washed up onto this putrid island, the gassy foulness of decayed kelp. He’d grown used to the sea’s maddening metronome against the granite walls, but he couldn’t acclimate to the incessant odor that only worsened by the day.

It’d been a long, hot summer for everyone on Sina’s coast. Some people had enjoyed a more personal burning, though, Mordrek reminded himself with a smile.

“I see. Quite the aggressive character at such a tender age.”

The voice’s upscale polish forced him upright. Something of those biting vowels suggested the speaker was no recruit.

Finally curious, Mordrek looked up, then frowned in surprise at what he saw: a tall, brisk-looking lady he was sure he’d glimpsed somewhere before. She wore a navy dress with a large hood covering most of her face, but subtle rope embroidery along its hems warned that she was no ordinary townswoman. Her black leather shoes, too, were immaculately clean, which he noted when she took a step toward him.

“Come.”

If anyone else had said this, he’d stubbornly refuse, perhaps even bite the guard who dared speak to him like a dog. Instead, Mordrek rose and paced toward the metal grate, staring straight into her wolfish blue eyes.

The guard drew back the iron door, which groaned on its rusty hinges, and Mordrek stepped out with his practiced, predatory gait. Many before had been intimidated, but the woman said nothing, only gestured down the hallway and turned on her immaculate heel.

He must look ridiculous to her, Mordrek realized. A scrawny, short teenager with tattered black hair and ruddy orange eyes. The disgusting rags he’d been given certainly didn’t inspire fear in anyone, nor did the chains clanking with every step.

Though normally he remained uncowed by anyone, Mordrek bit his tongue and walked along without complaint.

The guard hustled ahead to open the door at the end of the hall, bowing almost double. “Your majesty.”

Only one woman in Sina was allowed that title. Queen Susuma, recently having inherited the crown from her deceased mother. The last person he’d expect to appear in Kulniryi Offshore Prison.

Mordrek froze and peered closely at the shrouded figure, who turned to regard him with a cold, expectant glare.

“Look, I was a little occupied during your coronation, and it’s not like you get out much among us—”

Before he could explain himself further, the guard shoved him down into a bow as he sputtered in complaint.

He stumbled into the room after the queen, watching how the guard pulled out a brocaded cushion for the chair. Queen Susuma perched on the flowery fabric and drew her hood down, revealing a cascade of shiny strawberry-milk hair. She wore no crown, only silver pins that likely cost enough barnals to feed a whole city.

She gave him an imperious nod, then accepted a rice ball from the guard. No such treat appeared for him.

 While she took a delicate nibble, all Mordrek could chew on was why the monarch would be here—and what she wanted with him specifically.

The only sound was swishing water depositing more dead fish on the shore. Queen Susuma ate in perfect silence, and her cheeks barely moved. This tiny meal took far longer than Mordrek could have expected while he stared at the table.

“Tell me of your indiscretions and subsequent arrest.”

Mordrek jerked his head up and scowled. “Wouldn’t you know? You asked for me, after all.”

“I did not ask for you in particular,” she corrected coolly. “I asked for a young prisoner with a serious sentence and a rough demeanor.”

“Why?”

Queen Susuma ignored the question. “Tell me why you were brought here.”

“You already heard about it from the guard.” Mordrek crossed his arms. “I killed a guy in a bar fight after he ….”

Several seconds passed before he spoke again, but the queen did not press him, only stared at him with icy eyes.

“After he hurt Jie.”

“You’ll have to enlighten me on who this Jie may be,” Queen Susuma said. “It’s a gender-neutral name.”

“A woman. Jie Haltai,” he responded hastily. No need to add same-sex canoodling to his criminal charges.

“I see. A girl.”

Mordrek noted the noun change. The queen’s subtle way of reminding him that he, and his partner, were far too young to claim such mature titles.

“Not just any girl,” he said, his voice dropping to what he hoped was a threatening timbre. “My fiancée. Mother of my child. She’s just quickened.”

“I see,” Queen Susuma said in almost the exact same intonation: one of bored dismissal, perhaps disgust.

He clenched his hands under the table, struggling not to ask more questions. Especially the one he most wanted answered: whether Jie had survived the bar fight.

“I’m more interested in exactly what compelled you to shove a hot poker through a man’s eye. Few would be willing to use such extreme force, especially at your age.”

“For harassing my fiancée, saying disgusting things,” Mordrek said, uninterested in explaining all over again.

When Queen Susuma nodded in a way that suggested she wanted more details, Mordrek tried to spread his hands, then remembered they were cuffed and shook the chains instead. “That’s it. That’s the whole reason. I don’t have anything else to say.”

“Very well.” Queen Susuma folded her arms. “Under our laws, one murder demands more. Those who take the life of another are sent to Riynan Island, never to return. We only need process you and wait until the next boat departs.”

He nodded, and Queen Susuma paused. A curious look came over her face, akin to both surprise and respect.

“And this does not concern you? Riynan Island is full of carnivorous dogs who rely on prisoners for their meat.”

“I’ve been warned of my new friends about a thousand times since getting arrested,” he said impatiently. “The queen of Sina didn’t need to come tell me that.”

Queen Susuma was silent for several seconds; he could see her thinking, switching whatever tactics she’d chosen for this conversation. Still he stared her down, his mind also working at lightning speed. Why would she, of all people, explain capital punishment to a gutter rat like him?

At last, she spoke again. Despite the supposed optimism of her comment, his chest cramped with fear.

“And what if I told you there was an alternative? Something that would spare your life?”

When he remained silent, she continued in a tone that would be conversational for anyone else.

“I have recently founded the Sinan Intelligence Services, a department tasked with observing—and intervening in—foreign affairs. For this task, I need highly motivated, intelligent, and … tenacious individuals who are easy to train.”

“Don’t you have underlings who can find people for you?” he asked. “Seems an unnecessary risk, coming here yourself.”

“The Sinan Intelligence Services reports directly to me, and me alone,” Queen Susuma said, her voice severe. “As such, I choose my own recruits as well. I cannot trust anyone else with this project.”

Several moments passed as Mordrek puzzled through why he, of all people, would be chosen for what sounded like quite a prestigious position. Then, he looked down at his shackles and scoffed.

“So, you need people you can bully into doing your dirty work because you have dirt on them. And, eventually, they’ll have dirt on you too, won’t they? Running your errands, cleaning up your messes. Mutual blackmail. Very clever.”

A twitch of a smile before Queen Susuma nodded slightly. “I suppose if you would like to think it such, then you’d be correct. Both of us have something to provide for one another. I spare your life, give you employment, and protect you from consequences for any crimes you may undertake during your service. And in return, you provide me with valuable information from faraway lands.”

Be torn apart by wild animals or work with this regal wolf—being a dog’s dinner seemed quite distasteful. They might chew his favorite body part off before he could use it again.

When he sighed, Queen Susuma drew a scroll from her dress and unrolled it, her delicate fingers tracing a blank line. “A contract, then.”

Mordrek stared bewildered at the squiggles and swoops that infested the page but refused to admit his ignorance. Instead, he took the quill she handed him and made an “X” on the bottom of the page.

“You’ll undergo an orientation, during which time we’ll teach you several languages—and weapons proficiency.”

“Not a problem,” he said, still peering at the paper as if he’d magically learn to read. “Anything’s a weapon if you’re angry enough.”

Queen Susuma snorted, and he looked up at her, surprised to see amusement in her eyes.

“I suppose that is true, but we’d like our agents to have a bit of tact.”

No more hot pokers, he supposed.

The queen rose to her full height: much more impressive than his, even as he swore he was just a late bloomer. “Very well. I do have one last question.”

He, too, rose, though far less elegantly thanks to his leg shackles. “As do I.”

When she raised an eyebrow, he looked away. “About my fiancée.”

“She’s dead.”

A hard silence, pricked only by sea slamming into beach.

“Stabbed after you were escorted from the scene.” Queen Susuma paused and pursed her lips as if expecting rebuttal.

“You knew all along that Jie was my fiancée. What was the point of pretending otherwise? To assess my honesty?” He sneered. “Lying to you would get me publicly executed. Sounds embarrassing.”

“I only offered to answer one question. That was two.”

Mordrek swallowed several times, then met her eyes. “Alright. Then I’ll answer yours.”

“Did you enjoy killing that man?”

Blinking, Mordrek scanned her expression. Why the hell did it matter?

But the queen continued looking at him, face impassive, so he huffed and shuffled in place.

“Actually, yes. I did.”

Queen Susuma dusted herself off and set the cushion on the table, then whistled softly to inform the guards that they were done. Mordrek only watched as the guard entered, bowed again, and took the cushion while she swept to the door.

She paused at the lintel, pivoting to regard her prisoner, and gave a firm nod.

“Then your employment begins tomorrow. Good luck.”

I will be announcing the review campaign on October 1, 2025, which gives you a little over a month to read this 65,000 word novel. As with my other books, the campaign will be over on Booksprout.

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I hope the prologue gave you a taste of what you can expect from this gritty, exciting novel, which has some shocking twists. Keep your eyes peeled for its dramatic debut on November 7, 2025!