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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

Did she know how cruel it was to dangle that promise in front of him, or did she not care? She wouldn’t keep it any more than Kyla had.

“Yes.” Cato clutched at his clothes, gasping. “Y-y-y—”

“The cypher, Cato.”

He gasped out a string of random numbers, barely managing to get each one out. Nyx was lightheaded, her entire body numb. She wanted this to stop. She could barely think, and her eyes felt so heavy.

“Did you get that, Ariadne?” Eris called.

“Got it!” Her voice crackled on the comms.

“Good. Turn the heat back up, please. Slowly.”

Within a few moments, Nyx’s body pricked with needles as the feeling returned. Like hers, Cato’s breathing steadied.

“Rhea’s here with the injection,” Ariadne said over the comm.

Eris straightened and stared down at Cato. “Tell her to bring it here. Then we’ll take Cato to the medical center for deprogramming.”

Cato jerked back. “That wasn’t in our deal.” His voice was still weak, shaky.

Eris grinned. It was the first time Nyx had ever seen her smile when she wasn’t playing Zoe, and it was terrifying.

“Oh, but it was,” Eris said lightly, stepping closer to him. “I told you that if you decide to leave, we’ll wipe your memory and let you go. For me, that means making your choice free of the Oracle’s influence.” When he looked too stunned to respond, Eris flashed her teeth again. “How about an incentive? You let Rhea and Ariadne deprogram you, and I won’t consider dropping you off somewhere that makes the cold we just went through seem like a walk around the palace grounds.”

Without waiting for a response, Eris left the interrogation room.

Cato was wide-eyed. “She is completely messed up.”

“Yep,” Nyx said.

“I don’t know whether to be impressed or concerned.”

“Both.” Nyx took in deep, painful breaths. Her lungs hurt so godsdamn much.

Cato was still staring at the door. “Who the fuck is she?”

Nyx had no idea, but she wanted to find out.

35.

ARIADNE

Present day

A few jumps from Macella, Eris tried to put a call to Nova headquarters. Ariadne watched as it beeped once and dropped. Eris tried again. And again.

Nothing.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Clo said. “Everything is already marshed enough; what’s one more issue to add to the list?”

“Focus on flying,” Eris snapped. “It’s probably just a sandstorm.”

Ariadne trotted over. “Let me try. I might be able to boost the signal. Do you have coordinates?”