BooksBarbecue
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

I straighten, scraping the staff off the desk. The handle is cold and heavy, painful and awkward in my hand. The members of the old Guard hover along the far wall. The air tastes like uncertainty and fear. Their eyes dart back and forth between me and Lixue, as if they’re waiting for some directive to move.

I scoop the black sash from the floor and tie it hurriedly around the hole in the head of the staff where the crystal used to be, hoping everyone but Lixue has been too distracted to notice it’s gone. I don’t need anyone challenging me before I have a chance to find it. The staff is so cold, it burns to the touch, and I grit my teeth, determined not to show it.

“Lixue. You’re Commander of my new Guard,” I announce as I descend the dais. “I want all the wings and portals locked down. No one is to leave their dorm rooms. You have two hours to screen and deputize a new squad. Only the strongest Seasons. And none with questionable loyalties.” I stop in front of her, the head of my scythe close to her face. She doesn’t blink. “Anyone who declares an intent to rebel will be ashed. I assume you can handle that.”

She gives a short, tight nod, her voice cracking as she says, “Yes, sir.”

Her eyes are a flickering jumble of memories, moving too fast to read. I grab one fleeting image as it flashes by. All I get is the past, a moment—an image of her rushing the frozen lake in Cuernavaca alongside me. The effort I expend for that single second leaves my head splitting. Satisfied for now, I dismiss her.

My pulse slows, my mind sharpening as I focus on the logistics of operations. These are things I know. Things I’m good at. Things I can control.

“Bradwell.” I point my scythe at a lanky, baby-faced kid standing closest to the Control Room. “Congratulations. You’ve just been promoted. I want all tracking systems back online within the hour. And check that we have power and ventilation to all the wings.” Every Season we lose is a Season I have to find and replace, and I don’t have time for that. The sooner I get this place stabilized, the sooner I can hunt for Jack.

“Yes, Chronos.” Bradwell bolts, nearly mowing over a muscular girl with a shaved head and gauges in her ears as he rushes out the door.

The girl glares at his back as he leaves.