Chapters (109)
- Half Title
- Dedication
- Books by Sarah J. Maas
- Title Page
- Map
- The Four Houses of Midgard
- Part I: The Hollow
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Part II: The Trench
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Chapter Sixteen
- Chapter Seventeen
- Chapter Eighteen
- Chapter Nineteen
- Chapter Twenty
- Chapter Twenty-One
- Chapter Twenty-Two
- Chapter Twenty-Three
- Chapter Twenty-Four
- Chapter Twenty-Five
- Chapter Twenty-Six
- Chapter Twenty-Seven
- Chapter Twenty-Eight
- Chapter Twenty-Nine
- Chapter Thirty
- Chapter Thirty-One
- Chapter Thirty-Two
- Chapter Thirty-Three
- Chapter Thirty-Four
- Chapter Thirty-Five
- Chapter Thirty-Six
- Chapter Thirty-Seven
- Part III: The Canyon
- Chapter Thirty-Eight
- Chapter Thirty-Nine
- Chapter Forty
- Chapter Forty-One
- Chapter Forty-Two
- Chapter Forty-Three
- Chapter Forty-Four
- Chapter Forty-Five
- Chapter Forty-Six
- Chapter Forty-Seven
- Chapter Forty-Eight
- Chapter Forty-Nine
- Chapter Fifty
- Chapter Fifty-One
- Chapter Fifty-Two
- Chapter Fifty-Three
- Chapter Fifty-Four
- Chapter Fifty-Five
- Chapter Fifty-Six
- Chapter Fifty-Seven
- Chapter Fifty-Eight
- Chapter Fifty-Nine
- Chapter Sixty
- Chapter Sixty-One
- Chapter Sixty-Two
- Chapter Sixty-Three
- Chapter Sixty-Four
- Chapter Sixty-Five
- Chapter Sixty-Six
- Chapter Sixty-Seven
- Part IV: The Ravine
- Chapter Sixty-Eight
- Chapter Sixty-Nine
- Chapter Seventy
- Chapter Seventy-One
- Chapter Seventy-Two
- Chapter Seventy-Three
- Chapter Seventy-Four
- Chapter Seventy-Five
- Chapter Seventy-Six
- Chapter Seventy-Seven
- Chapter Seventy-Eight
- Chapter Seventy-Nine
- Chapter Eighty
- Chapter Eighty-One
- Chapter Eighty-Two
- Chapter Eighty-Three
- Chapter Eighty-Four
- Chapter Eighty-Five
- Chapter Eighty-Six
- Chapter Eighty-Seven
- Chapter Eighty-Eight
- Chapter Eighty-Nine
- Chapter Ninety
- Chapter Ninety-One
- Chapter Ninety-Two
- Chapter Ninety-Three
- Chapter Ninety-Four
- Chapter Ninety-Five
- Chapter Ninety-Six
- Chapter Ninety-Seven
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgments
Micah cut in, “I have it on good authority that Danika stole footage of the synth trials from Redner’s lab.”
“But the kristallos—”
“A side effect of the synth, when used in high doses,” Micah said. “The surge of powerful magic it grants the user also brings the ability to open portals, thanks to the obsidian salt in its formula. Danika did just that, accidentally summoning the kristallos. The black salt in the synth can have a mind of its own. A sentience. Its measurement in the synth’s formula matches the unholy number of the kristallos. With high doses of synth, the power of the salt gains control and can summon the kristallos. That’s why we’ve been seeing them recently—the drug is on the streets now, in doses often higher than recommended. Like you suspected, the kristallos feeds on vital organs, using the sewers to deposit bodies into the waterway. The two recent murder victims—the acolyte and the temple guard—were the unfortunate victims of someone high on the synth.”
Silence fell again. And Bryce turned once more to Hunt. “You knew.”
He held her stare. “I’m sorry.”
Her voice rose to a scream. “You knew!”
Hunt lunged—one step toward her.
A gun gleamed in the dark, pressed against his head, and halted him in his tracks.
Bryce knew that handgun. The engraved silver wings on the black barrel.
“You move, angel, and you fucking die.”
Hunt held up his hands. But his eyes did not leave Bryce as Fury Axtar emerged from the shadows beyond the crates of synth.
Bryce didn’t question how Fury had arrived without even Micah noticing or how she knew to come. Fury Axtar was liquid night—she’d made herself infamous for knowing the world’s secrets.
Fury edged around Hunt, backing up to Bryce’s side. She pocketed the gun in the holster at her thigh, her usual skintight black suit gleaming with rain and her chin-length black hair dripping with it, but said to the Viper Queen, “Get the fuck out of my sight.”
A sly smile. “It’s my boat.”
“Then go somewhere I can’t see your face.”
Bryce didn’t have it in her to be shocked that the Viper Queen obeyed Fury’s order.
Didn’t have it in her to do anything but stare at Hunt. “You knew,” she said again.
Hunt’s eyes scanned hers. “I never wanted you to be hurt. I never wanted you to know—”