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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

After seeing that Eiric had little more than scrapes and bruises, Liana helped Zachary to wash Dalton’s wounds with the life-giving water of Sindara. As soon as the clear liquid trickled into the savage holes in his body, Dalton moaned with relief. His color slowly returned, and he closed his eyes as his ragged breathing became more even. Treating each wound in turn, Liana clasped the edges of skin together while Zachary stitched them closed with deer gut.

Finally Zachary took his focus away from his task to speak to Eiric. ‘He will live, but it was a close thing. If the wounds had been any deeper . . .’

Eiric let out a sigh of relief.

‘What happened?’ Liana asked.

Eiric’s golden eyes met hers. ‘What happened? He was hurt because he was trying to save my life and at the same time stop the humans without killing them. Then . . .’ He suddenly looked ashamed. ‘Then I turned on them. Caleb and I . . . We tore them apart.’

‘You’ve set yourself an impossible task. Perhaps . . .’ Liana tensed; she could never be sure how he would react. ‘Perhaps we should give the people of Tanus back their mine . . .’

His golden eyes flashed. ‘It is inside our territory.’

‘Yes, it is.’ She frowned at him, taking a deep breath and lifting her chin. ‘But we abandoned Sindara for hundreds of years. You can’t blame the humans for expanding during a period in which we didn’t live here. Surely we could come to some arrangement?’

‘Arrangement? They are humans. They will never give up their gold and silver. This is our land. It was always ours. They have to understand that.’

‘But you and Dion—’

‘Don’t mention his name.’

Liana’s mouth tightened. ‘But how can there be peace if we don’t talk? Surely we could at least talk to Dion? Those soldiers aren’t his.’

‘Dion sent soldiers to the mine. They were prepared to fight us.’ He scowled. ‘And to think I once called him a friend.’

‘His soldiers retreated when you made it clear you would attack. You don’t know his side of things.’

‘Enough about Dion. He is no friend to us.’

Eiric tried to rise, but Liana grabbed hold of his hand, forcing him to face her. ‘Just because you are the king, does not mean I can’t disagree with you.’ He tried to jerk his wrist away, but she held him fast. ‘You’ve been listening too much to those who once followed Triton. I know you’re trying to be strong, but being forceful and having strength of character are two different things.’

He finally tore his arm free and stormed out of the clearing. Liana was worried; the fighting had brought out Eiric’s darker side.

‘He does love you,’ Zachary said. ‘He’s just confused right now. Don’t give up on him.’

‘I won’t,’ Liana said sadly.

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