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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

I snap open the pants and step into them. Jam my arms into the shirtsleeves and cinch a knot in the tie. My jaw hardens at my reflection in the mirror. “You are Chronos now,” I say, louder still, shrugging into Michael’s jacket and buttoning it over my chest, surprised to find that it fits, “and you have the power to control everything.”

15

Chill and Shiver

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JACK

Kai wriggles in the heavy wooden chair on the closed-circuit security feed from the kitchen cameras. She’s been trying to slip her bindings since I left the room, but the ropes are tight enough to hold.

The hard drive in my office hums back to life as my soaked jeans drip pool water onto the floor. I wrestle my phone from my front pocket, thankful for its waterproof case as I swipe it on. Five unanswered calls and a voice mail from Poppy.

I swear, remembering the persistent buzzing in my pocket as Fleur and I were foolishly shutting out the world. This was my fault. I should never have let my guard down.

I tap on Poppy’s message. There’s a panicked hitch in her voice.

“Jack? It’s Poppy. Something’s happened. Everything was fine. Chill had handed off his season to Jarek and he texted that he was ready to transport. I locked onto his GPS, but he never made it home. I think . . .” Her voice wavers. “I think his route was hijacked. His ley line signal dead-ended in London. Jack, I have a bad feeling. No one at the Observatory is answering my calls. Not Gaia, not Lyon. I got a strange package from them a few days ago. There was a travel voucher in it. I’ve booked a seat on the next flight to Heathrow. I’m going to find him. When you get this message, call me.”

A cold fear clamps around my chest. I dial Marie.

She picks up on the first ring.

“Jack, I’ve been trying to reach you.” Her chewing gum snaps between her teeth. “Did you get a weird message from Poppy? I mean, Poppy’s always a little weird, but this was—”

“Listen,” I tell her, my voice so tight it threatens to break, “four of Michael’s Guards just broke into our house under Doug Lausks’s orders. They took Fleur. You need to get Amber and Julio someplace safe. Now.”

Her gum quiets. “What do you mean, they took Fleur? Took her where?”

“Through the ley lines. Back to the Observatory. Chill’s disappearance was no accident. I need you to track Poppy down before she gets to London. Tell her not to step foot inside the Observatory until I get there.”

I disconnect and carry my cell to the kitchen. Dropping my phone on the counter, I head straight for the knife block. The thick steel blade of the cleaver sings as I pluck it from the sheath. Kai stills.