Contents
Chapter 11
Overview
Hiding on a rooftop, Sancia is snared by Gregor’s scrived ropes and captured. She warns he’s being tracked and leads him to the fishery, where there are no bodies—only blood. Gregor’s resolve for “justice” holds, but they’re ambushed; the carriage crashes, and masked assailants with gravity-defying scrivings open fire.
Summary
On a Michiel rooftop, Sancia and Clef debate where to hide and how to make money, noting Candiano turmoil might create theft opportunities. Exhausted, Sancia asks Clef to talk about scrivings and drifts to sleep, slipping into traumatic memories of plantation slavery and a one‑eyed scriver who operated on her.
Night falls. Sancia wakes and confirms they’re alone—until scrived, density-increasing ropes strike from afar, binding her legs and chest. Captain Gregor Dandolo arrives with an espringal, cheerfully arrests her, and locks her in a Dandolo carriage, demanding the stolen box. Sancia claims the client took it and betrayed her and Sark.
Gregor drives to the Greens to verify her story. While he scouts, Clef senses a tiny scrived “twin” plate attached to the carriage. Sancia warns Gregor he’s been tracked. He tests her by lying about bodies, then admits he found blood but no corpses. She urges release; he refuses, declaring a mission of justice.
As they depart, an espringal bolt destroys a front wheel, flipping the carriage. Shaken by memories of a past crash and his brother’s death, Gregor regains focus. Sancia confesses she can “hear” scrivings and detects powerful rigs converging.
Gregor looks up to see a masked figure standing sideways on a wall, defying gravity, and dodges as multiple scrived bolts slam into the carriage. More attackers float and fire overhead. Trapped in the wreck, Sancia and Gregor face a coordinated, high-powered assault.
Who Appears
- Sancia GradoThief on the run; recalls plantation trauma; captured by Gregor; warns of a tracking scriving; senses incoming ambush.
- Gregor DandoloCaptain who snares Sancia with density ropes; tests her story at the fishery; refuses to release her; vows justice; ambushed.
- ClefTalking key; describes surrounding scrivings; detects the tracking twin; guides Sancia during capture and ambush.
- Masked assailantsCoordinated attackers using powerful scrived rigs; walk on walls; disable carriage and open fire.
- One-eyed scriver (memory)Plantation torturer who operated on Sancia, anchoring her traumatic past.