The final chapter of The Pale Princess, in which Grand Father Nikodemus finally arrives back at the Sunken Abbey to find that quite a few things have changed...

Expect Christopher to have a new station in life, Brunhilda to return to The Kitty's Whiskers, lots of different people and animals to be missing Sally, Rooks to finally go home, prophecies to come true across the Whale Road, Diesirae - now "The Scarred Queen" - to go and see a man about her heart, and for Silkin to drown his sorrows a dangerously long way away from his nearest and dearest.

Thank you so much for following the podcast across the last 39 weeks, and, if you would like more - because the second book is planned out but not written, and would be called The Carrion King, then we'll need a bigger audience. So, share The Heartless Knaves, let's see if there's demand for the second part of the planned trilogy, and, in the meantime, thank you SO MUCH for listening!

With much love, out of a very dark shadow,

Martin

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The penultimate chapter of The Pale Princess, in which The Other attacks Lludden, Christopher makes a mad dash to reunite with Diesirae, and Silkin and Rooks speed home just in time to get involved...

Expect zombie bears, a goodly number of explosions, mass-scale slaughter, for almost every major character in the narrative to finally end up in the same place at the same time, the goodies to kick some butt, and the baddies to get their just desserts!

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The thirty-seventh chapter of The Pale Princess, in which Father Nikodemus makes it back to Prydain, Silkin and Rooks leave Brygof, and Christopher departs from Lludden to go home.

Expect massage oil, sneaky plotting, for Brian to have fallen in love, and for a villain who had seemingly disappeared for a while to make a triumphant return, seeking something vital from Archbishop Daevas...

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The thirty-sixth chapter of The Pale Princess, in which Rooks continues to defend Southgate from anyone seeking to flee Laugborg, and Silkin drags his heels about leaving it himself.

Expect Herild and Gillian to make their way to The Auric's stables and for high drama to ensue, for Sally and Silkin to exchange a particularly meaningful kiss, Ruby and the other fine ladies of Bongle's House of Clunge to ride out like the vigilantes they are, and for two very old friends to make two new ones the morning after a long night of hideous violence and mayhem.

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The thirty-fifth chapter of The Pale Princess, in which Diesirae is escorted to The Alabastrine in the middle of the night, while in Laugborg Vestran's masquerade is in full swing...

Expect Sir Felix Sable to give Umbrago some grief, the big reveal about those red outfits and all of Herild's paper flowers, extraordinary violence, lashings of death, exploding lobsters, and for the Crown of Prydain to change hands - in more ways than one!

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The thirty-fourth chapter of The Pale Princess, in which Sally and Silkin team up, Rooks becomes a one man wrecking crew, and the good ladies of Bongle's House of Clunge enjoy a night in the big city...

Expect subterfuge, guards getting shot with crossbows, Silkin to knock himself unconscious, a little palace intrigue, pear brandy, and some very, very large explosions.

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The thirty-third chapter of The Pale Princess, in which Daevas and Isfrid reconnect with the High Council, Rooks completes the final steps of his plans, Diesirae learns who Sister Signe really is, and Silkin and Sally have a day out in Laugborg.

Expect icy deaths, a bit of welding, some playing of chess, dirty water to be spilled, a very pretty dress, things to not be quite as they appear, and to visit a secret underground shrine were more than a few story threads knit themselves together...

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The thirty-second chapter of The Pale Princess, in which Diesirae wakes up in The Alabastrine's dormitory, her heart now sealed into a Ventricular Sphere.

Expect Mother Bodril to be well meaning, for Cordelia to arrive with a 'Sister Signe', and to finally catch up with Sally. She, once settled into a very grand hotel in Laugborg, finally gets some space from Herild and reconnects with Silkin - all before we catch back up with Diesirae, who finds herself nursing two hearts instead of one...

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The thirty-first chapter of The Pale Princess, in which Rooks acquaints himself with some friendly sewer rats.

Expect a boat trip into a very dark cave, an excessive number of spiders, for Silkin to be Silkin, and for Rooks to be reunited with an old friend from school who is more than happy to help...

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The thirtieth chapter of The Pale Princess, in which, after quite while, we catch up with Father Nikodemus...

Expect plenty a bit of surgery, to meet a crafty old bishop and a Valladrian who has been having visions, an audience with the Queen of Gallia, and for the forging of an agreement which might just shape the fate of Prydain for several generations...

Set in a twisted version of the English Renaissance, the story hinges on the macabre adventures of assassins Silkin and Rooks, who may be dead, their hearts stolen by the church, their severed heads mounted on the royal battlements, but there’s no rest for the wicked...

Blending black humour and squishy violence with a whip-smart plot and a cast of loveable rogues, the first book, The Pale Princess, is a bit like a haunted roller coaster: fundamentally unsafe, shuddering in the wind, and threatening to come off the rails as it gathers pace.

If you have ever been betrayed, and wanted revenge.

If you have ever had your heart cut out, and wanted it back.

If you have ever known something was sickeningly wrong, and wanted to wreak havoc in reply, you are one of us.

For we are The Heartless Knaves.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.