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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

The creature leaps off powerful hind legs and Nick dodges, slicing its ribs as he goes. It lands and swings its tail. Nick ducks, narrowly missing the barbed tip.

The two dance faster than I can follow: Nick slashes. The creature swipes black-tipped claws at his chest. Nick opens it up and sickly light pours from its skin.

They circle each other, both panting hard. Then, the pattern breaks.

Nick steps backward; the creature follows. Nick drops his chin and takes another measured step back—into a closed alley between buildings.

There’s nowhere to run.

He’s trapped, and he doesn’t even realize it.

The creature rears back—

Instinctively, I scramble to my feet and yell, “Hey! This way!”

Nick’s eyes fly to mine at the same time that the creature’s ears flick back toward my voice.

“No!” Nick shouts, but it’s too late. I’m running and the creature is sprinting in my direction. I shift, running perpendicular to its path. Out of the side of my eye, I see it change direction to follow me.

It’s fast. Its teeth snap behind me, less than a foot away. I tuck my chin and push. Faster. Faster. A howl of pain—not mine. A heavy thud.

I can’t help but look.

Nick’s sword is buried a foot deep into the downed creature’s spine. The body shudders and spasms, the blade shaking with it. The creature’s front paws are splayed toward me. So close.

Nick had speared it mid-pounce.

A millisecond later—

“Get back!”

In one motion, the creature I thought was dead pulls its limbs in and under and springs. I raise my arms. It yelps; the embedded sword cuts its attack short. Its jaws snap, black spittle sprays through the air—I hit the ground.

My hands and arms are on fire.

Someone’s screaming.

Me, I think.

The world bleeds black, flowing like ink to the center of my vision.

The last thing I see is Nick, yanking his sword free, then driving it deep into the creature’s skull.

7

VOICES FADE IN and out.

What happened?!

Hellhound saliva.

Feels like my head is dunked underwater. Drawn up. Under again.

On campus? Corporeal? That’s impossible—

Help me get her on the table!

Falling. Falling down to the cold and the dark. The voices grow faint.

Who is she? Aether isn’t meant for Onceborns. If she—

It’s eating through her bones. Do it. Now.

The high-pitched, rhythmic trill of crickets pulses against my skull.

My eyes open to find a white ceiling with wide exposed wooden beams and a ceiling fan spinning lazy circles. I try sitting—and fail spectacularly. My arms aren’t working.

“You’re all right.” A gentle palm presses my shoulder down. Nick withdraws his hand. He’s standing beside the bed, one sleeve of his hoodie torn to shreds.