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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

Ephyra froze. In the dim moonlight, she made out a figure leaning against a tree beside her tent.

“Hector,” she said. “What are you doing out here?”

“What are you doing sneaking off in the middle of the night?” Hector countered. “Or actually, why don’t I guess—you’re going after her.”

Ephyra shifted the weight of the pack on her shoulder. “I know it’s dangerous. I know this is all my fault. I’m the one who brought the god back. But Beru’s still in there somewhere, and if there’s a chance to free her, I’m taking it. And I don’t care what you or any of the others have to say about it.”

Hector just eyed her for a moment, considering. “Good.”

“Wait, what?” Ephyra asked. “You’re … letting me go?”

“No.” Hector leaned down and picked up his own pack. “I’m coming with you.”

She stared at him for a long moment. Briefly she considered that this might be a dream.

“You,” she said dubiously. “You want to come with me. The person who killed you to save her.” She shook her head. “You hate me.”

“That may be so,” he said. “But I love your sister. And if there is a way to get through to her and free her of the god, well—you two have defied death for each other. So I’m betting if anyone can do it, it’s you.”

“It’s probably impossible,” Ephyra said, staring him down. “I’m a fool for trying to find her. The god will likely just kill me. And Beru will have to watch.”

Hector shrugged. “Yeah. Maybe. But you’re going anyway, aren’t you?”

She remembered what she’d told Beru in Pallas Athos. I will never give up on you. Never.

“Fine,” she said at last, striding past Hector. “Just as long as you don’t slow me down.”

He didn’t reply, but a moment later Ephyra heard his footsteps following behind her.

III

THE GOD OF RUIN

33

HASSAN

The Lost Rose safe house sat in a pocket of land between the sloping base of the mountains and the banks of the Serpentine, in what was known as Crow’s Bend. It was little more than a collection of small cottages, some stables, and a barn, but it was their first taste of civilization in almost three weeks, and Hassan was grateful.

After Hector and Ephyra had disappeared, Hassan and the others had waited a day to see if they would return, before deciding to press on. Wherever Ephyra and Hector had gone, Hassan didn’t think they were coming back.