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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

Fire suddenly seared her skull and she cried out. She felt herself fading.

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Chloe tumbled away from the fire. Wide-eyed, she stared at the Oracle. The woman’s shoulders were straight, her hair parted to reveal her smooth features. Her face was youthful and beautiful, noble like that of a goddess, with startlingly green eyes.

‘You have had a vision?’ The Oracle spoke in a sibilant hiss. Despite her beauty, her eyes were frightening, as if they were staring deep into Chloe’s soul. ‘What did you see?’ She raised her voice. ‘Tell me!’

Chloe shook her head, horrified by her vision.

‘Remember, nothing you do can change what will happen.’

Finally Chloe managed to take a slow, steadying breath and gather herself. Placing a hand on the wall of the cave, she climbed to her feet.

‘What did you see?’ The Oracle’s question was powerful, insistent.

‘A friend once gave me some advice,’ Chloe said. ‘She said to act as if there is no destiny. I intend to do just that.’

Turning her back on the Oracle, Chloe rushed out of the cave.

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It was later that Chloe explored the shoreline, staff in hand, walking along the rocky coves, until finally she found it.

The raider’s galley would be difficult to manage, but it had a sail, and Dion had taught her something about how to handle a boat. And with her staff, she would always have the wind on her side.

Chloe tossed the staff into the vessel and then entered. She untied the rope holding the boat fastened around a knob of rock and pushed off, letting the current take her away from the island while she hoisted the sail.

She hadn’t been given permission to leave. The magic might kill her.

But this was her choice.

15

15

Dion didn’t know if he was in love, but he did know that the world had taken on a shine that it hadn’t had before. Colors were brighter; music sounded sweeter. Laughter came more easily. Time passed more swiftly.

Lord Philippos agreed to extend his daughter’s visit by another two days, and Dion and Isobel spent every spare moment together. They walked the hills near Xanthos and saw the waterfall at Krastonias. He took her sailing on the Liberty, which she loved, and horse riding, which she hated. He tried to teach her archery, and although she failed miserably, she did it with such grace that soon they were both laughing until tears streamed down their cheeks.

But after this final evening, celebrated with a farewell banquet for Isobel and her father, she would be leaving. Dion was already sad to think that he might not see her for a month or more, and Isobel said she felt the same way. For their last day together, they decided to revisit the waterfall.