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Back Dreams Lie Beneath Save as PDF
Chapters (55)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. Part 1
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. Part 2
  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. Part 3
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. Acknowledgments
  52. About the Author
  53. Books by Rebecca Ross
  54. Back Ad
  55. About the Publisher

He continued to kneel before me, pensive, his eyes studying me as his hand continued to rest against my breast. As he felt the uneven song beneath my skin. “And where is the other half, Clem?”

I told him the truth, about Mazarine’s tonic, and what I had to surrender. I told him half of my heart was stone and my disguise as Anna was dependent on its survival.

“That night when you caught my reflection in the mirror,” I said. “When you said my name . . . the stone within me suffered a crack. And I don’t regret that it did, because I had forgotten how vital it is to be known for who you are, and not for who you pretend to be. I had forgotten how good it is to be seen, even with flaws and scars. I wanted you to see me. But I can’t risk it now. Not until the end comes. You are making it more difficult for me because I’ve grown fond of you, in the most impossible of ways.”

There was a long beat of silence. I was suddenly eager to know his thoughts, but I was too proud to beg for them.

I waited, full of blazing tension, watching him.

“Then I will guard you until the end, even if that means I must do it from a distance,” he said. His fingers traced down my arm to twine with my own, lifting my hand to his lips. To kiss the hollow of my palm, as if sealing me with a vow. “Rest now, Clem.”

He relinquished me and stood. I sensed he was anxious about the things I had shared with him, but he hid his emotions well.

“Do you need anything before I go?” he asked, halfway to the door.

I studied him, wondering how this had happened to us. I yearned to say one word to him. Stay.

But I shook my head, surrendering to the cold bed.

“No.”

He left.

I soaked in the silence of the mountains, drawing my fingers through my tangled hair. Phelan had become my greatest alliance while also becoming my greatest threat. And a few strands of auburn now shone among the golden brown of my hair.

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37

Imonie had slipped another message beneath my door.

I found it as soon as I woke from my afternoon sleep, still heavy from dreams of Hereswith.

This time, she wrote: The master of coin?