The Raven (A Jane Harper Horror Novel)

by Jeremy Bishop

  “You’re not?” he says.

  “You’re not?” Helena repeats.

  “They’re just passing through. They’ll head for the mountains.”

  “How could you know that?” Gilmour asks.

  “Because she knows what they’re looking for,” Willem says, understanding filling his eyes.

  Gilmour crosses his arms. “And what might that be?”

  I look up at the screen and the ruined city that was my home for the past few months and Willem’s home for most of his life. I clench my fists, doing my best to contain my anger. We’ve come so far and sacrificed so much. We thought we’d won. And Jakob…he gave his life—for nothing.

  Not nothing. He killed a Queen. And that means there is only one left, trapped somewhere in the mountains of Greenland. But she’s not alone. There’s something else out there that the Draugar want just as much.

  I set my eyes on Gilmour and give him a look that says I’ll rip his nuts off if he doubts what I say next. When he gives a slight nod of agreement, I tell him.

  “The host.”

  “What’s the host?” he asks.

  I’m about to shout, “How the fuck should I know!” when I remember some of Talbot’s last words and lower my head.

  I was right. I was right about everything.

  “It’s an alien,” I say. “A fucking alien.”

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Most of my acknowledgments over the years have featured long lists of people who contributed to the initial writing effort in some way, whether it is research, advance reading, brainstorming, etc. But for this book, I just sort of disappeared into my imagination, lost in the voice of Jane Harper, which is to say, I had a lot of fun writing this book! There are, however, plenty of people to thank in getting this book into readers’ hands.

  To Scott Miller, my agent at Trident Media Group, thank you for your resolve, commitment, and hard work. At 47North, I must thank Alex Carr, who saw potential in a wise-cracking, foul-mouthed, kick-ass heroine. Also at 47North, thanks to Katy Ball, Patrick Magee, and Justin Golenbock. Your support means a lot, and I’m looking forward to knocking this one out of the park with your help. I must also thank Jeff VanderMeer, whose supreme edits greatly improved this book.

  And finally, my dear family. Hilaree, my wife, and Aquila, Solomon, and Norah, my wildly creative and fun children—I love you guys and am thrilled to be sharing the adventure of life with you.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Jeremy Bishop began his career as an artist and comic book illustrator, before turning to screenwriting, and eventually fiction. His first novel, the post-apocalyptic zombie epic Torment—a #1 Horror bestseller on Amazon.com, was a self-publishing success story. In addition, as bestselling author Jeremy Robinson, he has written more than thirty sci-fi, thriller, and action/adventure novels and novellas, five of which are published by Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press. His novels have been translated into eleven languages. He lives in New Hampshire with his family.