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Back Into the Dying Light Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Copyright Notice
  2. Dedication
  3. I
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. BEFORE
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. BEFORE
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. BEFORE
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. BEFORE
  25. II
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. III
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. IV
  52. 42
  53. 43
  54. 44
  55. 45
  56. 46
  57. 47
  58. 48
  59. 49
  60. 50
  61. 51
  62. 52
  63. 53
  64. 54
  65. 55
  66. 56
  67. 57
  68. 58
  69. AFTER
  70. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  71. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  72. Newsletter Sign-up

Anton’s nose scrunched. “It’s the look you get whenever I do something you disapprove of. I’m deeply familiar with it.”

“I don’t disapprove,” Jude said. “Hector’s right. You should know how to protect yourself.”

The thought of Hector and Anton bonding made him feel a little strange, but he didn’t disapprove.

Anton appraised him. “You could always teach me some moves, you know.”

“Of course,” Jude said, thinking back to his most basic training, the stances and forms he’d learned before his Grace manifested. “Whatever you want to know.”

Anton huffed out a laugh.

“Oh.” Jude flushed, catching on. “You meant—”

“Yeah,” Anton replied, winding an arm around Jude’s waist and reeling him in. “I meant.”

It was a feint, and Jude knew it. And he didn’t care. Because Anton was here, smiling at Jude in the morning light, freckles sprinkled like stars across his cheeks. It was more than anything Jude ever thought he’d have.

It didn’t matter if Anton was keeping something from him. It didn’t matter if Jude was still carrying around this hurt and this longing. It didn’t matter, he told himself.

And almost believed it.

25

EPHYRA

After nearly a week in the valley, their supplies were running low. They would have to risk venturing into civilization.

It was too dangerous to simply walk into a town and buy supplies. But they were coming up on a cluster of farms, and as the fall harvest was currently underway, there was an opportunity for someone to sneak into one of the farms and take what they needed.

Not everyone was entirely on board with this plan.

“It’s stealing,” Hassan protested for the fifth time. “It’s wrong. These farmers are just trying to make a living—we can’t just threaten their livelihoods!”

“And what exactly do you know about making a living, Prince Hassan?” Ephyra asked pointedly.

“Jude,” Hassan said beseechingly, “you agree with me, right? We should at least leave them some money.”

Anton rolled his eyes. “Jude barely knows what money is. It’s not like Kerameikos has a thriving trade economy.”

The swordsman looked mildly affronted. “There’s no honor in thievery—”

“But there’s plenty of honor in saving the world,” Ephyra cut in. “Which we can’t exactly do if we all starve.”

“She makes a very good point,” Illya chimed in, looking amused by the argument unfolding.

Ephyra glared. “Do not back me up.”

“Ephyra is right, though,” Hector said, looking pained to be on the same side as her. “Sorry, Hassan. It’s for the greater good.”

“All right, well it sounds like Prince Hassan is outvoted, and we are definitely going to rob a farm,” Anton summarized. “So, who wants to commit some crimes?”

“I’ll go,” Ephyra volunteered. Hector and Khepri looked at her skeptically. She rolled her eyes. “We need stealth, right? I’m the one you want.”