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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

“This has nothing to do with you or Lyon. I’ve already honored my promise to him. I just . . .” She rakes back her short hair with a heavy sigh. “I just need to find myself, Jack. I need to figure out who I am apart from Ruby. Apart from this place. I might already know how my story’s going to end, but I still want the experience of living it. I want to make my own decisions for a while.”

I frown at my reflection in her sunglasses. I can’t imagine what it must be like to know your own fate. It’s one thing to look in someone’s eyes and see their past. Or to look in the mirror and have to face your own. It’s entirely another to see the consequences of a lifetime of choices you haven’t had the chance to make yet.

Kai puts a finger to the bridge of her glasses. She smiles, pulling them down just enough for me to see the glimmer in her eyes. In them, I see Kai—glimpses of her future. Rock climbing, kayaking, hiking a glacier. Camping in the mountains. A kiss on a beach. It relieves me of some of my guilt. And if I’m being honest, eases a little of my worry—it’s good to see a future where the world is still here. But it doesn’t diminish the loss. Our brief partnership hasn’t been without its challenges, but there have been moments when she felt like a friend. I know she wants me to say goodbye, to turn around and walk away. But that doesn’t make it any easier.

I glance at my watch, wondering how much time I can steal from her. Maybe I can convince her to miss her flight. She pushes her glasses back in place.

“You’ll be okay,” she says, throwing a soft punch at my shoulder. “And so will I. You and Fleur are going to finish rebuilding the Observatory. You’re going to be loved by everyone and make beautiful Seasons together,” she says, wagging her eyebrows suggestively. “And I have it on good authority you and I will see each other again in the not-too-distant future. I promise,” she adds, claiming it as a choice and not leaving it to fate.

“I’m counting on it.” Thumbs hitched in the pockets of my jeans, I wait for her to be the first to leave.

“Show me your back, Chronos,” she says, dragging a laugh out of me as she walks backward toward the bus stop. I’ll never get used to people calling me that.

I give her a salute before turning away, hoping she’s right. About everything.

Epilogue

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Six Months Later

JACK

I nearly trip on Fleur’s heels as we navigate down the steep wooded hillside, my hands covering her eyes.