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Back Seven Devils
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  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. EPILOGUE
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Gods, Clo was lovely. Not overtly beautiful, not like Eris. But she had a stubborn jaw and haunted eyes and Rhea wanted to make her smile and laugh and drive those ghosts away. Rhea curled her fingers into her palm so she didn’t reach for Clo—as much as she wanted to.

Clo leaned back again and gazed up at the sky. “This is my favorite place in every ship,” she said wistfully. “Other than the captain’s chair, of course.”

“I can see why.” Rhea leaned back with a contented smile. “I’ve never been on a ship before this.”

“Never?” Clo sounded astonished. “Not even in the palace hangar?”

“No. Damocles kept me within the walls of the Pleasure Garden. I never even left to visit the city. That’s why I’m—” Rhea pressed her lips together. That’s why I’m afraid to go back.

Clo must have understood her unspoken sentiment, for she nodded once. “If we survive this mission, I’ll take you out in a bullet craft. They have wide windows and it makes you feel like you’re outside among the stars.”

“I’d like that.”

“Good. It gives us something to look forward to.” She glanced at the door. “I should probably get to bed.”

The other woman started to stand, but Rhea’s hand shot out and grasped her wrist. “Clo?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you . . .” Rhea swallowed, then spoke hesitantly. “Will you take me other places, too? Distant worlds? I’d like to see them.”

Clo paused, her lips curving into a smile. “Sure, Rhea. I’ll show you the whole galaxy, if you like.”

Rhea smiled back. She loved that. She wanted to see everything.

After Clo left, Rhea burrowed into her chair and watched the stars. She let tears come freely, for come moonrise, she would once again be behind those high walls.

22.

ERIS

Present day

Hold back your feelings, Eris. Don’t let anyone see them.

She was on the bridge, her body tense as Zelus came ever closer to the Three Sisters. The bridge was much bigger than the one on Asteria. There were ten seats and stations. This ship was meant to be helmed by so many more soldiers—but the old Zelus crew were ghosts, their bodies floating out in the vastness of space.

Before they grew too close, the ship slowed. Eris brought up a closer view of Macella on the main screen.

Eris hated Macella.

After leaving the academy on Myndalia and surviving duels with all her siblings, Eris had been required to report to the Three Sisters. Each planet served as some testing ground for her father’s torturous form of training.