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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

He didn’t say anything right away. Rather, his gaze searched hers, as if trying to understand the sister who was his enemy. Perhaps he comprehended that he was there on borrowed time—time that she had bestowed. Because he asked, “Would you have wanted to?”

“I don’t know.” She slid her hands across the face of the wolf. “Every time I look at this, I wonder what life I might have lived if I had been given the choice. You would not be on my list. Because I wouldn’t have one.”

Xander sat up and rested his wrists on his knees. “I made that when I found out what happened to the firewolves. We revered them, put them in those murals you love so much. They thrived in the forests of Syrmia, a planet on the border of the old Tholosian kingdom—before we conquered the whole galaxy. And—”

“They died off,” Discordia said flatly. “In climactic flooding after the firestorms of the first wars with the Evoli. I remember my history.”

“Yes,” Xander said. “Because what mattered was that the planet became ours. Nothing else. Every human in the Empire is like that firewolf. Including you and me.” He nodded to the figurine. “You should keep it. Something to remember me by when you strike me off your list.”

“Next time,” she reminded him.

When Xander smiled at her again, Discordia knew her promise was false.

33.

ERIS

Present day

Eris wanted off this planet. She’d spent hours that evening touring the ballroom with Damocles, dancing and drinking wine while Ariadne and Clo put themselves in danger and Nyx trailed behind her like a servant.

Her brother hadn’t given her any more useful information. With their father in attendance, he wouldn’t have risked discussing whatever he had planned for the Evoli and their truce—and it had to be something; otherwise, he wouldn’t have shown such interest in Zoe’s weapon.

I hate Zoe, Eris thought as she and Nyx made it safely back to the ship.

Her face hurt from Zoe’s fake smiles and fake laughter, from pretending she didn’t give a damn that her brother had murdered someone in front of her and that her team thought she was a soulless killer.

They’re not friends, a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her. They aren’t here because they like you, especially Clo.

Eris gritted her teeth as they closed the ship’s hatch behind them. The storage bay was empty save for one lead-lined canister of the damn mystery rock Kyla had left behind for them, and a very filthy Clo and Ariadne. The duo must have arrived only shortly before; they were both wearing their natural faces, but Clo was still shaking mud off her boots.

Eris nodded to the pair. “Success?”

Clo shrugged. “Ariadne got intel, but I’ve had better nights. I need a nap.”

“And a shower!” Ariadne added brightly.