The devils portion

A Novel of the Meridian Sea

Some treasures are worth killing for. Some are worth dying for. And some are worth burying forever.

Twenty-two years ago, the pirate Silas Marrow stole three hundred and eighty chests of Ixtaban gold from the most powerful man in the Meridian Sea, Ossian Kade.

Then Marrow disappeared.

The treasure was never found.

Now an old sailor is hanged in the drowned port of Cathoe’s Landing — but before he dies, he speaks four words that could lead to the greatest treasure ever lost at sea:

“Bright weather and a bride at the bell.”

Corwin Ash hears them.

A former schoolmaster turned pirate quartermaster, Corwin is a man who trusts figures, written accounts and facts more than legends. But the moment those words are spoken, he finds himself drawn into a mystery that has survived for more than two decades.

Captain Iseult Vane has been waiting twenty-two years for the same mystery to resurface.

She was aboard Silas Marrow’s ship as a child when the Devil’s Portion was taken from Ossian Kade. She remembers the ship. She remembers the men. She remembers the gold being carried away into the night.

But she does not know where Marrow hid it.

And now someone is hunting for it again.

Their search takes the crew of the Salt Widow across the dangerous waters of the Meridian Sea, through drowned cities, hidden islands, treacherous reefs and forgotten passages. Pursued by enemies who understand exactly what the treasure is worth, they must decipher Marrow’s cryptic navigation book and uncover the method he used to hide the truth from his own crew.

But the greatest danger may not be the sea.

Ossian Kade has spent twenty-two years building an empire on the belief that the three hundred and eighty chests still exist. His wealth, reputation and political power have all been built around a fortune nobody has ever been able to count.

If the Devil’s Portion is found, the truth could destroy him.

And Kade is prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure that truth never reaches the shore.

The Devil’s Portion is a richly atmospheric historical pirate adventure filled with treasure hunts, naval action, dangerous voyages, hidden identities, political intrigue and unforgettable characters. At its heart is not simply a search for gold, but a battle over who gets to control the truth.

As Corwin Ash, Iseult Vane and the crew of the Salt Widow close in on Silas Marrow’s secret, they discover that finding the treasure may be only the beginning.

Because sometimes the most powerful weapon is not the treasure itself.

It is the number written in the ledger.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

Historical pirate adventures

High-seas adventure novels

Lost treasure and buried-gold mysteries

Nautical historical fiction

Pirate crews and ship-to-ship action

Treasure hunts and ancient secrets

Atmospheric maritime fiction

Naval strategy and sea battles

Strong, complex female protagonists

Slow-burn mystery and political intrigue

Dark, character-driven historical adventure

Stories of legendary treasure and dangerous voyages

Set against the stormy, unforgiving backdrop of the Meridian Sea, The Devil’s Portion is a sweeping pirate adventure about loyalty, greed, revenge, survival and the dangerous power of a secret that refuses to stay buried.

The treasure has been missing for twenty-two years.

Now someone is finally going to find it.

📖 429 pages