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Contents ( 50)
  1. CONTENTS
  2. PROLOGUE
  3. CHAPTER ONE
  4. CHAPTER TWO
  5. CHAPTER THREE
  6. CHAPTER FOUR
  7. CHAPTER FIVE
  8. CHAPTER SIX
  9. CHAPTER SEVEN
  10. CHAPTER EIGHT
  11. CHAPTER NINE
  12. CHAPTER TEN
  13. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  14. CHAPTER TWELVE
  15. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  16. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  17. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  18. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  19. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  20. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  21. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  22. CHAPTER TWENTY
  23. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  24. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  32. CHAPTER THIRTY
  33. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  34. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  42. CHAPTER FORTY
  43. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  44. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  45. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  47. EPILOGUE
  48. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  49. Also by Liz Flanagan:
  50. COPYRIGHT

Joe felt as though he were underwater, moving slowly, pressed on all sides by the heavy weight of his grief. ‘Come with me, Mum. I promised him I’d keep you safe.’

His mother refused to leave the Yellow House and hide in the tunnels. ‘I’m not leaving this house. I’m not leaving Nestan,’ she said, keeping her eyes on his grave.

‘Well, I’m not leaving you then. Not yet.’ The thought of 203Ren tugged at Joe’s heart, but he knew Winter would take care of her, and her food supplies would be lasting longer without him.

Matteo went to make something for them all to eat: soon the smell of frying garlic snaked out into the cool spring air.

Josi started to speak. In a low murmur she told him more details about everything that had happened on that terrible day. ‘They marched the city elders down to the docks and sent them away to Sartola. Your brother – already there – will surely be planning a response: let’s hope there’s a city still to rescue when Isak gets here.’

Joe felt either dazed and sleepy, or itchily restless. His mind kept jumping around, trying to make plans, but only finding more and more questions. ‘And Conor and Amina, all the ones with the newest dragons – do you know what happened to them?’

‘No. Also prisoners, I expect, in the dragonhall maybe?’ Josi had a blanket over her lap, the sunshine catching the silver in her hair.

Joe felt the beginnings of a new feeling – a stirring of anger, washing away his numbness and disbelief. ‘What is everyone doing?’ he demanded. ‘How can they let this happen?’

‘Joe, the Brotherhood used to be soldiers. Then – just before you were born – they lost what they valued most. They lost their place in the army, and with it, their pride. Our mistake was to forget that, and not to realise how much it meant to them. They’re ruthless, furious and desperate.’ His mother leaned forward, touching Joe’s cheek. ‘The 204attack on the city took everyone by surprise. Today, every­one will be hiding, mourning, licking their wounds, as we are. Our neighbours lost people too.’

He saw how fragile she looked, how tired. The bruises were deepening, yellow and plum, and her eyes were blood­shot from crying.

‘It’s too soon,’ she said. ‘They’re frightened to move while the Brotherhood roam the streets. But they will resist, Joe, you can count on it.’

‘I can’t just sit here, waiting. I’ve got to do something.’ Joe felt his head clearing a little, as the first shock wore off. It was replaced by more fury. He welcomed the anger, inviting it in. ‘Let’s strike now, before they get used to being in control.’

‘Joe, no. Your father wouldn’t want vengeance,’ his mother said quickly.

‘It’s not revenge,’ he lied, adding, ‘it’s what he would have done.’ Time was running out. He needed to return to Ren, but he had to take action first. Just the first step. Like lighting the taper on a barrel of firepowder.