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Back Seasons of Chaos Save as PDF
Chapters (70)
  1. Dedication
  2. Prologue
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. Epilogue
  66. Acknowledgments
  67. About the Author
  68. Books by Elle Cosimano
  69. Back Ad
  70. About the Publisher

My knees splash into an ash-gray puddle as I watch Poppy and Marie hurry down a hall. Amber and Julio follow them with Jack between their arms. His feet drag along the floor tiles. A dark stain spreads down his sleeve. They’re moving fast, past familiar doorways and signs. A dark-haired girl with a pixie cut follows behind them, her face cast in shadows, as they slip off the screen.

I’m too late. They’re already here.

I watch the recording loop. Watch them drag Jack’s limp body over and over again. He’s down there, hurt. They’re all down there. And I’m up here. And the only way to get back to them is through Doug.

33

Till the Tree Could Bear No More

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DOUG

The Spring and I have been at this for hours, and if it weren’t for the pouring rain, I’d burn every tree in Greenwich Park to the ground.

“Show me again!” Rain pours down the neck of my coat. The cold wind sinks in its teeth. No matter how many times I try to grab hold of the branch with my mind and make it do something useful, it won’t answer to me.

“There’s no point!” Her cheeks are flushed and her teeth won’t stop chattering. “I told you already, it’s not something you do. It’s something you feel!” All I feel is utter exhaustion and a persistent nagging pain that seems to worsen the more I attempt to use the very magic I’m expecting her to teach me. It’s as infuriating as my ability to stop time. I can occupy space, but I can’t affect anything.

“I was close last time. I was inside the damn tree, and I felt myself pushing!”

“You only felt yourself, Doug.”

“The branch moved. You saw it! All I need to do is learn how to—”

“This isn’t working! I want to go inside.”

I grab her by the front of her jacket. “I said, show me!”

“I’m tired.” Her voice breaks, and she wavers on her feet. “It’s too cold out here. I can’t . . .” She teeters, sways. Her eyes roll back into her head and her body falls sideways, collapsing into the muddy grass.

I kneel beside her, swearing under my breath. Her skin’s cold to the touch, her slack eyelids unresponsive when I slap her cheek. I could summon my Winter magic and try to bring her around, but last time I gave her an ounce of power, she took down all four of my Guards and handed my ass to me. It’s nearly three in the morning. We’re both soaked to the bone, frozen and hungry and raw, and this is getting me nowhere. I slide an arm under her knee and haul her against me.