In the astonishing conclusion of Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels Trilogy, the Dark Court has been formed and the end—for some—draws exceedingly near...   Jaenelle Angelline now reigns as Queen—protector of the Shadow Realm. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one chapter ends, a final, unseen battle remains to be written, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible power that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all.   Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in madness, is Daemon, her promised Consort. Only his unyielding love can complete her Court and secure her reign. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to hold back the most malevolent of forces.   And in the end, under the emergent shadow of evil and unforeseen betrayal, only Jaenelle’s greatest sacrifice will save those she loves—and the realm she’s bound to protect... “[The Black Jewels] series...has long been celebrated for its dark sensuality and focus on female characters....[the books] remain crucial foundations of the romantasy genre and paved the way for what followed.”—Paste Magazine Praise for Queen of the Darkness “As engaging, as strongly characterized, and as fully-conceived as its predecessors...a perfect—and very moving—conclusion.”— SF Site   “A storyteller of stunning intensity, Ms. Bishop has a knack for appealing but complex characterization realized in a richly drawn, imaginative ambiance.”— RT Book Reviews   “A powerful finale for this fascinating, uniquely dark trilogy.”— Locus THE DARK GOURT HAS BEEN FORMED Jaenelle SaDiablo has made her Offering to the Darkness, and reigns as Queen of Ebon Askavi. The Shadowlands lay under her protection. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one door has been closed, another may be opened...or broken through, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible glory that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all. Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in the madness of the Tangled Lands, is Daemon, her promised Consort. His unyielding love for Jaenelle will complete her Court and secure her power. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to stave off their enemies. In the end, only Jeanelle's greatest sacrifice will be enough to save those she loves... New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop is a winner of the William L. Crawford Memorial Fantasy Award, presented by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, for the Black Jewels series. She is the author of the Novels of the Others—including Etched in Bone , Marked in Flesh , Vision in Silver , Murder of Crows , and Written in Red —and Lake Silence , Wild Country , and Crowbones , which are set in the world of the Others. She lives in Upstate New York. CHAPTER ONE 1 / Terreille Dorothea SaDiablo, the High Priestess of the Territory called Hayll, slowly climbed the stairs to the large wooden platform. It was a bright morning in early autumn, and Draega, Hayll's capital, was far enough south that the days were still warm. The heavy black cloak that shrouded Dorothea's body made her sweat. Under the deep hood, her hair was damp and her neck itched. No matter. In a few minutes, she could shed the cloak. When she reached the platform, she saw the lumpy canvas that stretched across the front, closest to the waiting crowd, and automatically began taking shallow breaths through her mouth. Foolish. She'd used every spell she knew to keep what was beneath that canvas a secret until the proper time. Forcing herself to breathe naturally, she walked across the platform, stopping a few feet behind the canvas. Watching her, with wariness and resentment, were the Queens of all the Territories in the Realm of Terreille. She had demanded that each Territory Queen bring her two strongest Province Queens and any Warlord Princes who served her. She knew that many of the Queens, especially those from the far-western Territories, had come expecting a trap of some kind. Well, the bitches were right. But if she presented the bait in the right way, they would throw themselves into the trap without a second thought. Dorothea raised her arms. The crowd's rippling murmurs faded to silence. Using Craft to enhance her voice so that everyone would hear her, she began the next move in a deadly game of power. "My Sisters and Brothers, I called you here to warn you about a terrible discovery I made recently, something that threatens every one of the Blood in the entire Realm of Terreille. "In the past, I've done some unspeakably cruel things. I have been responsible for the destruction of Queens and some of the best males in the Realm. I have bred fear into the Blood in order to be the controlling power in Terreille. Me. A High Priestess who knows better than anyone that a Priestess can't be a substitute for a Queen, no matter how skilled or how strong she is in her Craft.