Ship of Destiny

Ship of Destiny is a fantasy novel by the American writer Robin Hobb, published in 2001. It is the third and last book of the Liveship Traders trilogy.

Bingtown has been largely destroyed since the night the Satrap disappeared, and the factions inside it struggle against one another even as they hold off the invading Chalcedeans. Ronica Vestrit accepts that Bingtown will have to turn away from its traditions in order to survive, which puts her in conflict with Serilla, the Satrap's companion, who has taken on his authority to protect herself. With the help of a slave called Rache, Ronica tries to unite the Old Traders, the New Traders, the Three Ships families and the tattooed ex-slaves into a new and independent order.

In the Rain Wilds, Tintaglia, the dragon freed by Reyn and Selden, saves the two of them from the ruins of the underground city. Malta is stranded in a boat with the Satrap, drifting down the Rain Wild River, and gets the two of them rescued by a Chalcedean ship by working on the Satrap's behaviour until he behaves as he should.

Tintaglia is determined to rescue her kind from extinction. She defeats the Chalcedean warships and proposes an alliance with the people of Bingtown, and Reyn agrees to help her only on condition that she helps him find Malta. Reyn and Selden are both changed by their contact with her, becoming something closer to the ancient Elderlings.