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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

He let her exit first, his dark eyes sweeping the room, daring anyone to challenge him. Chloe quickly left the tavern, relieved to be outside. A moment later the bearded man followed her, and with a quick wave of his hand, he led the way, walking with long strides, away from the dark street and back to the safety of the broad avenue. As they left the shadows, the moonlight cast pale rays on his back. He suddenly stopped in the middle of the street and then turned to face her.

Chloe’s mouth dropped open.

He’d put on weight, but the height and frame and the posture were all the same. If it weren’t for the beard, she would have recognized him immediately. His eyes were dark and penetrating, and his face was creased with crags and wrinkles.

‘Amos? Amos! I can’t believe it’s you!’

Amos stared at her as if looking at a ghost. She was surprised to see his eyes becoming moist, then brimming with tears. All of a sudden he took two unsteady steps toward her and pulled her into a tight embrace. He started to mumble, sobbing the entire time.

‘I thought you were dead,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.’

‘Shh,’ Chloe said, holding him in her arms. ‘It’s all right.’

After his display at the tavern, she now found herself consoling him as he cried. She wrinkled her nose. He smelled of wine and sweat. He stank as if he hadn’t bathed in a year.

‘Shh,’ she whispered. She repeated the same words, again and again. ‘It’s all right, Amos. It’s all right.’

18

18

Chloe and Amos headed back to the harbor, walking in silence. When they reached the docks, they stood together, watching the moon’s reflection on the water and the boats knocking against the wooden piers. Glancing at the taller man beside her, Chloe saw that he’d regained his composure.

‘Where have you been?’ he asked.

‘I’ve been gone for a long time, I know,’ she said. ‘I was sick. I was taken to Athos to recover. Then, I’ve been . . . learning.’

He looked at the staff in her hand. ‘I saw.’ He hesitated. ‘Listen, there’s something you need to know. About . . . About your father.’

‘I know.’

‘Yes, but there’s more. I know they say he died—’

‘Nilus killed him. That’s what you were about to say, isn’t it?’

Amos’s mouth worked soundlessly; he was truly stunned. ‘But no one knows the truth.’

‘The magi at Athos told me.’