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Back Seasons of Chaos
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

“They’re harmless,” I say, turning for deeper water. “The flies are a hell of a lot worse.”

I maneuver to the far side of the pool, far enough that the smazes won’t hear. “We only have a few days. We should come up with a plan. I’m not going to that Dismantling. So I need to know, are you in or out?”

“I can’t run.” She rakes the short, dark spikes of hair from her eyes.

“You’ll feel stronger in a few days. We just need to find a way past a few Guards and then lay low for a while.”

“There’s no time. The Dismantling is in less than a week.”

“I thought you were a fighter.”

“There’s no sense fighting him, Doug.” She lowers her voice, glancing back at the smazes. “If we do, we’ll lose everything. We should just take the demotion and start our lives over.”

I swipe water from my face. She’s giving up far too easily. I’ve seen her train. I know how tough she is. I know what she’s capable of. And so does she.

“You’re a fool to trust him,” I say under my breath. “Whatever Lyon promised to give you in exchange for spying on me, he’ll turn on you.”

Her eyes grow wide. “He didn’t. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A dark laugh rocks my shoulders. “You may be a good hunter, Sampson, but you’re a shitty liar.”

She shakes her head, too hard and too fast. “It wasn’t like that, Doug. I swear. He’s just worried about you.” I raise a brow, calling her on her bullshit. “I’m serious. He’s afraid you won’t cooperate with the Dismantling, and he’s scared someone will get hurt.”

No. Not someone. Himself.

I remember Lyon’s face when he looked into the eye of the staff. He was afraid. Not for me—he had to know I’d never give in to him, that he’d have to kill me. He was afraid for himself. Afraid he would get hurt. Probably afraid I would be the one to do it. So he sent Kai to try to soften me, to persuade me to give up my magic quietly. Fuck that.

I back her into a corner, my arms braced on the side of the pool, trapping her between them. If Lyon is afraid of what he saw in his future—of something he saw happening at the Dismantling, something I do that hurts him—then that means I have a chance.

There is a way forward—interfering with the Dismantling must be mine.

“What did he offer you in exchange for talking me into surrendering?”