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Back Copper Chain Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. CONTENTS
  5. MAP
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

She ran her eyes over the assembled citizens and consuls, who were looking uncertain as they realized the leadership of Phalesia had been thrown into disarray.

‘Now, in the meantime, this leaves us without a candidate for the election,’ Chloe said. ‘I suggest you nominate new candidates. And despite the fact that women cannot vote – a foolish rule if ever I’ve heard of one – I have a proposal. I suggest that for the next election, you nominate someone whose loyalty cannot be questioned. We have all had enough of conspiracies and betrayal. I suggest you consider a non-politician who understands the city’s needs and also knows the workings of the Assembly.’

Every set of eyes was suddenly on Amos, who stood in the center of the lyceum, looking both stern and commanding in his armor. Many of the consuls had been allies of Aristocles, and now they began to nod and murmur to each other, much to the surprise of Amos, who looked utterly speechless.

‘I’ll leave you to it,’ Chloe said.

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Later, back at the temple, Chloe was pleased to see her sister sit up on the pallet and reach for the water jug herself. Sophia’s arm was a little unsteady as she poured water into her cup, but Chloe knew not to help her.

‘The thing I don’t understand,’ Chloe said with a frown, ‘is why you were in Nikolas’s camp in the first place.’

Sophia looked uncomfortable. ‘I thought that I could help the wounded, and maybe I could do something to stop the fighting. But then he died, and the fighting stopped anyway, so I came home.’ She changed the subject. ‘What are you going to do about your studies at Athos?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘You might be the next oracle.’

‘I don’t want to be an oracle.’

‘But if the visions keep coming . . .’

‘Maybe they won’t. I haven’t had another since I saw you.’ Sitting beside the pallet, Chloe reached out and stroked her sister’s hair.

‘But it came true.’

There was silence for a time.

‘I can’t believe Nilus escaped,’ Sophia said.

‘We’ll find him. But at the moment Dion needs me.’ Chloe looked in the direction of the harbor. ‘I’m going to have to leave you again for a time, but I promise I’ll be back.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘To find a ship. We have no idea who this hunchback was, or where he was going. Dion won’t even know what’s happened. Time is running out.’

‘You heard Amos,’ Sophia said. ‘They’ll be long gone.’

Chloe glanced at her staff, resting against the wall nearby. ‘There’s still a chance to catch them.’

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