Black Bottle

 

Beyond the Last Page...

Tabloids sold in the Duchy of Stonehold's streets claim that Caliph Howl, the country's High King, has been raised from the dead. His consort, Sena Iilool, both blamed and lauded for this impossible act, has been labeled as a charlatan by some and a blasphemer by others. But even so, a macabre cult has sprung up around her.

As news of this improbable story spreads to other nations, Stonehold — long considered backward and unimportant — comes to the attention of mighty emperors in the southern countries. They have learned that the seed of Sena's immense power lies in an occult book, and they are eager to claim it for their own.

Facing their plots requires Caliph to use diplomacy rather than might. Hoping to maintain his country's sovereignty, Caliph is drawn into a summit of the world's leaders despite the knowledge that the meeting is a trap. As Sena's bizarre actions threaten to unravel the summit, Caliph watches her slip through his fingers into madness.

But is it madness? Or is she hiding some inconceivable truth — something she would choose to share if she were not so terrified? For only Sena can see the spirit that has crawled from the book. She must play a dangerous game of strategy and deceit as she attempts to outwit a force that has spent millennia setting subtle traps in preparation for this day. Caliph is the only connection left to her former life, but it's his blood that Sena needs to sustain her and see her plans through to their explosive finish.

Dark and rich, epic in scope, Anthony Huso's fantasy is crafted like no other, teeming with unthinkable horrors and stylish wonders.