Light Bringer: A Red Rising Novel, page 1
part #6 of The Red Rising Saga Series
Light Bringer 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 © 2023 by Pierce Brown
Maps copyright © 2023 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 Circle colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.
Hardback ISBN 9780425285978
Ebook ISBN 9780425285985
International edition ISBN 9780593722749
BN edition ISBN 9780593600054
Signed edition ISBN 9780593600108
BNBF edition ISBN 9780593724736
randomhousebooks.com
Book design by Caroline Cunningham, adapted for ebook
Cover design: Jeff Miller/Faceout Studio
Cover illustration: Jonathan Bartlett (Pegasus)
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Maps
Dramatis Personae
Part I: Circus
Chapter 1: Darrow: Castaway
Chapter 2: Darrow: The Book
Chapter 3: Darrow: Revenants
Chapter 4: Darrow: The Sordid Affair
Chapter 5: Lysander: Games
Chapter 6: Darrow: Mortal Concerns
Chapter 7: Lysander: The Ally Idiot
Chapter 8: Darrow: The Hanging Coliseum
Chapter 9: Darrow: Shit Escalates
Chapter 10: Lysander: Iron Fist
Chapter 11: Darrow: Inheritance
Part II: Rampart
Chapter 12: Lyria: Truffle Pig
Chapter 13: Lyria: The Rose’s Game
Chapter 14: Virginia: The Armor of Love
Chapter 15: Lysander: Earth
Chapter 16: Lysander: The Two Hundred
Chapter 17: Lysander: Mars Must Fall
Chapter 18: Virginia: The Returned
Chapter 19: Virginia: Rising Dirge
Chapter 20: Virginia: Nucleus
Chapter 21: Virginia: Petard
Chapter 22: Lysander: Iron, Death, Gold
Chapter 23: Virginia: Grim Glory
Chapter 24: Lysander: Drop Shock
Chapter 25: Virginia: War Prism
Chapter 26: Virginia: Labyrinth
Chapter 27: Virginia: A Good Death
Chapter 28: Lysander: War Engine
Chapter 29: Virginia: Pity Them
Chapter 30: Lysander: Edge of Glory
Chapter 31: Virginia: Détente
Chapter 32: Virginia: Parley
Chapter 33: Lysander: Master of the Spoils
Chapter 34: Virginia: Remember Earth
Chapter 35: Darrow: Winds of Duty
Chapter 36: Lysander: Jurisdiction
Part III: Tempest
Chapter 37: Darrow: Cacophony
Chapter 38: Darrow: Tabula Rasa
Chapter 39: Darrow: Under the Golden Gaze
Chapter 40: Lyria: Departure
Chapter 41: Darrow: To the Stars
Chapter 42: Lyria: Rat in the Machine
Chapter 43: Lysander: Fragment of Immensity
Chapter 44: Lysander: Grapes and Iron
Chapter 45: Lysander: Allfather
Chapter 46: Darrow: The Sun Is Down
Chapter 47: Lysander: The Bringer of Darkness
Chapter 48: Darrow: The Tickler
Chapter 49: Lysander: Vae Victis
Chapter 50: Lysander: Heavy Is the Head
Chapter 51: Darrow: Midnight Lands
Chapter 52: Darrow: Sungrave
Chapter 53: Darrow: Eyes of Stone
Chapter 54: Darrow: Pella! Pella! Pella!
Chapter 55: Darrow: Demigod
Chapter 56: Darrow: Dust Mice
Chapter 57: Lyria: Lamps in the Storm
Chapter 58: Lyria: Europa
Chapter 59: Darrow: Athena
Chapter 60: Darrow: The Weight of Guilt
Chapter 61: Darrow: The Three Masters
Chapter 62: Darrow: The Tyrants’ Debris
Chapter 63: Lyria: Mashed Taters
Chapter 64: Lysander: The Noble Lie
Chapter 65: Lyria: Into the Maelstrom
Chapter 66: Lyria: The Fall of Heraklion
Chapter 67: Lyria: Volga
Chapter 68: Lyria: The King and His Court
Chapter 69: Lyria: Hour of Hunger
Chapter 70: Lyria: Passage of the Stains
Chapter 71: Darrow: Ashvar
Chapter 72: Darrow: Full-Metal Panoply
Chapter 73: Darrow: The Breath of Stone
Chapter 74: Darrow: The Hunt
Chapter 75: Lyria: Prove It
Chapter 76: Darrow: By the Laws of the Ice
Part IV: Brothers
Chapter 77: Darrow: Old Stoneside
Chapter 78: Darrow: The Monster in the Storm
Chapter 79: Lysander: Teeth of Civilization
Chapter 80: Darrow: Stirring Stuff
Chapter 81: Lysander: Parting of the Shadow
Chapter 82: Darrow: Civil Discourse
Chapter 83: Lysander: A Way Out
Chapter 84: Lysander: Hangar 17B
Chapter 85: Darrow: Dusk and Dawn
Chapter 86: Darrow: Nivalnight
Chapter 87: Darrow: Casus Belli
Chapter 88: Lysander: The Sack of Demeter
Chapter 89: Darrow: The Only Path
Dedication
Acknowledgments
By Pierce Brown
About the Author
_144305315_
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
THE SOLAR REPUBLIC
Darrow of Lykos/The Reaper ArchImperator of the Solar Republic, husband to Virginia, a Red
Virginia Augustus/Mustang Reigning Sovereign of the Solar Republic, wife to Darrow, Primus of House Augustus, sister to the Jackal of Mars, a Gold
Pax Augustus Son of Darrow and Virginia, a Gold
Dio of Lykos Sister to Eo, wife to Kieran of Lykos and mother of Rhonna, a Red
Kieran of Lykos Brother to Darrow, ArchGovernor of Mars, a Red
Rhonna of Lykos Niece of Darrow, daughter of Kieran, Howler lancer, Pup Two, a Red, lost in the fall of Heliopolis
Deanna of Lykos Mother to Darrow, a Red
Sevro Barca/The Goblin Imperator of the Republic, husband to Victra, Howler, a Gold
Victra Barca Wife to Sevro, neé Victra au Julii, a Gold
Electra Barca Daughter of Sevro and Victra, a Gold
Ulysses Barca Son of Sevro and Victra, killed by Harmony and the Red Hand
Dancer/Senator O’Faran Senator, former Sons of Ares lieutenant, Tribune of the Red bloc, a Red, killed on the Day of Red Doves
Kavax Telemanus Primus of House Telemanus, client of House Augustus, a Gold
Niobe Telemanus Wife to Kavax, client of House Augustus, a Gold
Daxo Telemanus Heir of House Telemanus, son of Kavax and Niobe, senator, Tribune of the Gold bloc, a Gold, killed by Lilath au Faran
Thraxa Telemanus Praetor of the Free Legions, daughter of Kavax and Niobe, Howler, a Gold
Alexandar Arcos Eldest grandson of Lorn au Arcos, heir to House Arcos, allied to House Augustus, lancer, Pup One, a Gold, killed by Lysander au Lune
Lorn au Arcos Former Rage Knight, head of House Arcos, mentor to Darrow of Lykos, a Gold, killed by Lilath au Faran and Adrius au Augustus
Cadus Harnassus Imperator of the Republic, second in command of the Free Legions, engineer, an Orange
Orion Aquarii Navarch of the Republic, Imperator of the White Fleet, a Blue, killed in Operation Tartarus
Oro Sculpturus Navarch of the Republic, leader of Phobos’s astral defense, a Blue
Colloway Char A pilot, reigning kill-leader of the Republic Navy, Howler, a Blue
Holiday Nakamura Dux of Virginia’s Lionguard, sister to Trigg, client of House Augustus, Centurion of the Pegasus Legion, a Gray
Quicksilver/Regulus Sun Richest man in the Republic, head of Sun Industries, a Silver
Matteo Husband to Regulus Sun, a Pink
Theodora Leader of the Splinter operatives, client of House Augustus, a Pink Rose, executed by the Vox Populi
Pebble Howler, client of House Barca, a Gold
Min-Min Howler, sniper and munitions expert, client of House Barca, a Red, killed by the Abomination
Screwface Howler, client of House Augustus, a Gold
Cassius Bellona Son of Julia au Bellona, former Olympic Knight, former mentor to Lysander au Lune, 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 au Grimmus/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, killed by Darrow
Julia au Bellona Cassius’s estranged mother and Darrow’s enemy, Primus of the House Bellona remnant, Princeps Senatus of the Two Hundred, a Gold
Pallas au Grecca Captain of the Bellona chariot team, Bellona client, a Gold
Scorpio au Votum Primus of House Votum, a Gold
Cicero au Votum Heir to House Votum, Legate of the Scorpion Legion, a Gold
Horatia au Votum Sister to Cicero au Votum, member of the Reformer bloc in the Two Hundred, a Gold
Cipio au Falthe Primus of House Falthe (the purity-obsessed war masters of Earth), a Gold
Asmodeus au Carthii Primus of House Carthii (the shipbuilders of Venus), a Gold
Valeria au Carthii Daughter of Asmodeus au Carthii, and one of his many heirs, a Gold
Rhone ti Flavinius Dux of House Lune, leader of Legio XIII Dracones (the Praetorian Guard), a Gray
Demetrius ti Interimo Lunese, archCenturion of Legio XIII Dracones, a Gray
Markus ti Lacrima Lunese, centurion of Legio XIII Dracones, a Gray
Drusilla ti Pistris Lunese, decurion of Legio XIII Dracones, a Gray
Kyber ti Umbra Lunese, legionnaire of Legio XIII Dracones, whisper to Lysander au Lune, a Gray
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, Cassius, Virginia, and Darrow
Glirastes the Master Maker Architect and inventor, an Orange
Exeter Valet to Glirastes, a Brown
Pytha xe Virgus Captain of the Lightbringer, former co-pilot of the Archimedes, a Blue
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 Dustwalkers, a Gold, killed in battle
Helios au Lux Co-consul of the Rim Dominion, with Dido, former Truth Knight, 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
Gaia au Raa Mother to Romulus au Raa and grandmother to Diomedes and Thalia, a Gold
Thalia au Raa Younger sister of Diomedes, a Gold
Vela au Raa Sister of Atlas and Romulus, a Legate, a Gold
Grecca au Codovan Lady of Ganymede, a Gold
THE OBSIDIAN
Sefi the Quiet Queen of the Obsidian, leader of the Valkyrie, sister to Ragnar Volarus, an Obsidian, killed by Volsung Fá
Valdir the Unshorn Warlord and royal concubine of Sefi, imprisoned for treason against the Republic, an Obsidian
Ragnar Volarus Former leader of the Obsidian, Howler, an Obsidian, killed by Aja au Grimmus
Volsung Fá King of the Obsidian, father of Sefi, grandfather of Volga Fjorgan, once known as Vagnar Hefga, an Obsidian
Volga Fjorgan Daughter of Ragnar, former colleague of Ephraim ti Horn, an Obsidian
Ur the Eater of Joy Named Spear of the Throne of Ultima Thule, an Obsidian
Skarde Olsgur Jarl of the Volk, tribe of the Blood Ram, an Obsidian
Sigurd Olsgur Son of Skarde, brave of the Blood Ram
OTHER CHARACTERS
Aurae A Raa hetaera and companion to Cassius, a Pink
Apollonius au Valii-Rath/The Minotaur Heir to House Valii-Rath, verbose, a Gold
Tharsus au Rath Brother to Apollonius au Valii-Rath, a Gold
Vorkian ti Hadriana Centurion in the Rath house legions, a Gray
Lyria of Lagalos Gamma from Mars, client of House Telemanus, a Red
Liam of Lagalos Nephew of Lyria, client of House Telemanus, a Red
Cheon Chiliarch of the Black Owls, a Daughter of Athena, a Red
Harmony Leader of the Red Hand, former Sons of Ares lieutenant, a Red, killed by Victra
Figment Freelancer, a Brown, dead
Fitchner au Barca/Ares Former leader of the Sons of Ares, Sevro’s father, a Gold, killed by Cassius au Bellona
Ephraim ti Horn Freelancer, former member of the Sons of Ares, husband to Trigg ti Nakamura, a Gray, killed by Volsung Fá
PART I
CIRCUS
Yea, and if some god shall wreck me in the wine-dark deep, even so I will endure…For already have I suffered full much, and much have I toiled in perils of waves and war. Let this be added to the tale of those.
—Homer
1
DARROW
Castaway
Our sun floats in darkness attended by moons made of trash.
Long ago, when the planets were reshaped by mankind, the detritus of their terraforming operations was fused together into moon-sized spheres by orbital compactors and shoved out toward Sol. Gripped by the gravity of her mass, most of these trash moons have completed their centuries-long funeral march into the nuclear fires of the sun, but several hundred laggards still remain circling their eventual demise.
Tethered to the barren landscape of a forgotten trash moon once catalogued as Marcher-1632, a shipwrecked corvette named the Archimedes hides in the shadow cast by a waste escarpment a kilometer high. Martian slaves-turned-soldiers-turned-castaways crawl over the ship. Our welding torches flare against the hull. Our space suits are stinking bogs. We are marooned two hundred million kilometers from home, and I stew in sweat, nausea, and discontent.
That bloodydamn Bellona. That arrogant Peerless shit.
