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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

He nods into my hand. His cheek is warm under my palm.

I press my tear-streaked lips briefly to his, then retreat inside our house.

8

Those Who Favor Fire

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DOUG

On the morning of the Dismantling, the last fourteen members of the old Guard are led from our holding cells to the ornate double doors of the Control Room, where we are positioned in a single-file line to wait. We’re restrained, our wrists bound in front of us like criminals, our hands covered in fire-suppressing mitts. Eight prisoners wait in front of me and Kai. Another four behind us.

Not as many as I had hoped, but enough.

Lixue is the last in line, shaking off the Guard as he fastens on her mitts. Our eyes catch over the heads between us, before our procession starts to move and I’m forced to turn around. Four of Lyon’s new recruits accompany us, two at the front of the line and two at the rear. In front of me, sweat darkens the back of Kai’s jumpsuit, her fear pungent and sharp.

I lean close to her ear. “I’ll be right behind you,” I murmur. Watching her. Making sure she holds up her end of the bargain. I’ve been screwed over before, too many times to trust her entirely.

She gives a barely perceptible nod. When the Guards open the doors and call the first prisoner to the dais, the line’s nudged forward to close the gap.

I count off seconds in my head. A full two minutes pass before the poor bastard’s muffled cry breaches the doors. It isn’t a wail of pain, but a high, gutting keen of loss as his magic is extracted and rehoused in one of Gaia’s creatures. My stomach sours as the screams drag on. It’s a good thing we’re standing on this side of the door. Otherwise, I might strangle the kid with my own shackles just to shut him up.

The short dark hair on the nape of Kai’s neck stands on end as the screams quiet. This will be her test. A test of her commitment, her courage, her loyalty to me.

“Now,” I whisper.

Kai begins turning in circles, twisting in her restraints.

“No! No!” she protests, her voice rising to a shout. “I don’t want this! You can’t let them do this!” The Guards at the back of the line rush to silence her. She throws herself to the floor, kicking and thrashing against their ankles.