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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

“PEOPLE OF PALLAS ATHOS,” the god’s voice boomed out. “YOU HAVE LOST YOUR FAITH. YOU HAVE FALLEN BENEATH THE SPELL OF A MAN WHO CALLED HIMSELF A PROPHET. BUT HEAR ME—HE WAS NO PROPHET. HE CLAIMED TO SPEAK THE WORDS OF THE DIVINE, BUT HE SPOKE ONLY LIES. I AM YOUR CREATOR. I AM YOUR GOD.”

Beru could hear the screams echoing up from the city below as the wave of blood crashed over it, flooding down from the temple and into the pristine, white streets. It swept over the limestone buildings, cascading over the walls of the first tier, into the second, and down into the Low City.

It still wasn’t enough. With a wave of Beru’s hands, the god turned all the water in the city into blood. It spewed from the fountain in Elea Square. It ran through the sewers. It spilled into the sea.

She had turned the city itself into a wound, staining everything red.

“IT IS TIME YOU FIND YOUR FAITH AGAIN.”

39

HASSAN

Hassan’s nerves rattled as the boat eased toward the shore. To avoid being sighted by Lethia’s people, they had dropped anchor in a cove far from Nazirah’s harbor. As an extra precaution, they’d disembarked in the dead of night, just Hassan, Khepri, and two crew members rowing themselves across the waves, their path illuminated by the moon.

“You seem anxious,” Khepri commented. “Remember the last time we arrived back in Nazirah?”

“You mean when Lethia betrayed me and captured our army?” Hassan asked. “That’s not really helping.”

“I’m just saying, this could be a lot worse.”

“Well, we don’t really know yet,” Hassan reminded her gruffly. “It’s been months since either of us heard from the Scarab’s Wing.”

They reached the rocky shore and disembarked. With a wave of farewell and good luck, the two crew members rowed back to the ship.

Now that Khepri had brought up their last return to Nazirah, Hassan couldn’t stop thinking about it. Then, he’d been surrounded by an army, full of righteous fury. Now, it was just the two of them, no less motivated, but significantly underequipped for battle.

They set off up the beach, winding toward the low, craggy cliffs. The sun had nearly risen by the time they reached the cypress grove that overlooked the cove. From here, they could see the outskirts of the city, sandstone buildings blushing pink with the dawn light.

“The King of Herat returns,” Khepri said, leaning against his shoulder.

He turned to her. “Khepri, I’m not … I was never the king Nazirah needed me to be. You know that better than anyone. That’s not why I came back.”

Her amber-brown eyes searched his face. For a moment, Hassan thought she would argue. Instead, she just took his hand, pulling him down the hill. “Come on.”