The Whip in the Waves

There's something magical about the Dracan Sea.

It's the sort of magic that steals young women from the land and offers them glimmering, scaled tails and the promise of protection. Madame Orinna has worked tirelessly to ensure the citizens of Keresa never learn about the mermaids of the Draca and, in her efforts, she's created the lethal House of Whips-an organization posing as a brothel, whose only duty is to guard the secrets of the sea.

Newly-appointed, Wyna takes a position on a merchant ship in order to infiltrate the sailors and parse out what they know of the creatures that lie beneath. Desperate to prove herself, her desire leads her directly into the arms of a handsome bosun apprentice who offers her protection from the rest of the crew, if only she'll pretend to be his. As the two of them grow closer and their ruse morphs into reality, they learn that the secrets they keep are far deadlier than the game they play.

Second-in-command, Thessa tackles the mercantile empire from the other end of the industry, assigned to a wealthy merchant's household in order to manipulate him into partnering with the Whips. Her first sign of trouble barrels in when the obscenely beautiful ward of the merchant makes it her personal mission to remove Thessa from the estate. As Thessa weasels into their trust, she uncovers much darker skeletons than merely skimming the books and it soon becomes clear that she's had the wrong target all along.

The trouble these young women face threatens not only to be the undoing of the Whips, but the bitter end to the magic of the Dracan Sea. Neither knew, when swearing their vows to the House, that loyalty would be spilled just as easily as blood.