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Back Legendborn Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Dedication
  2. PROLOGUE
  3. THREE MONTHS LATER
  4. PART ONE ORDER
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. PART TWO DISCORD
  15. 10
  16. 11
  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. PART THREE ROOTS
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. PART FOUR SPLINTER
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  67. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  68. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As understanding passes through him, the blood drains from his face. The devastation I see there is all for me, all for my pain. But if I accept it, if it touches me, I’ll shatter. I know I will. He reaches for me, but I raise both palms, and his hand falls. That simple gesture—pushing him away—looks like it breaks him as much as it breaks me.

“How? How did you—” He stops. Turns again to the Lodge doorway where Sel is watching us, his face unreadable. This time when Nick faces me, his eyes hold stony accusation. “With him?”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, walking backward on the lawn. “This was all a mistake.”

Tires over gravel. Russ pulling up behind me in Felicity’s Jeep. Nick shaking his head no.

The car idles, loud enough that the Legendborn in the foyer can’t hear me. But Nick can… and so can Sel. “I can’t be here anymore.”

The air leaves Nick’s chest in a broken rush. He knows I don’t mean tonight. He knows I mean forever.

“No, wait!” He shakes his head, desperation making his eyes bright. “Please. I need you. You have to know I’d choose you. I want you, Bree. If Camlann is coming, I want you.”

The lead in my stomach turns hot, melting into all of my limbs. The words feel heavy and thick at the back of my throat, but I say them anyway.

“No. You don’t.”

I climb into the car and leave him behind, standing alone in the gravel as we drive away.

PART FOUR SPLINTER

41

MY PHONE DINGS so many times that day and the next, that, after a while, I just block Nick’s number.

Then Sar tries. William. Greer. Whitty. I block all of them, one at a time. It hurts, but the pain feels right. Necessary. Like I deserve it for wasting their time.

I’d taken Nick’s necklace off as soon as I got home and buried the chain and coin under some socks in my drawer.

I’d thought myself brave for facing the Order. For chasing down the truth. But every time I close my eyes, all I see are the faces of the people I’ve lied to in order to find it.

My mother didn’t pursue the Order and its war.

My mother didn’t share her Rootcraft. Not with me and not with anyone else.

The least I can do, after defying her in so many ways, is finally follow in her footsteps.

The next days pass in a blur because I force them to. I focus only on what’s in front of me.

Classes, studying in the library, meals with Alice, sleepless nights. Repeat.

I take the sling off in public, so no one asks questions. Alice asks questions anyway. I tell her I fell during initiation.