BooksBarbecue
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

The shifter had half-kicked back into place, her features a blend of the Eris she knew and the Discordia she feared. One iris was still green as forest moss, the other luminous as a sun. They were steady, no ocular dilations to indicate activated programming. Royalty, like Clo, were not influenced by the Oracle.

Which meant that every life taken by Discordia had been a choice.

“Tempting, after what you just did.” A pause, her mismatched eyes flickering down. “Your left leg is trapped by debris. You wouldn’t want to see it. By all rights, I should leave you here. You let emotion overwhelm you, and you jeopardized this mission.”

“D’it, then,” Clo said through a mouthful of blood. She’d lost a tooth or three. “Leave me or kill me.”

Discordia gave a frustrated huff. “You’re not going to thank me for this.” She rummaged beneath her oversized coat, bringing out a large, very sharp knife.

That was how Clo would end, then. Cut open, her blood feeding the twining vines beneath her. No marshland burial for her.

Discordia made an incision along Clo’s upper thigh, and Clo hissed in a breath. One more stab of pain on top of so much more.

Discordia sliced her own wrist and pressed their wounds together.

“Whit’re ye doin’?” Clo asked, consciousness beginning to blur around the edges. She felt weak, floating. She’d lost a lot of blood.

“The nanites will stay localized for a few minutes.” Discordia took off her belt, tying it tightly above the shallow gash. “They’ll help.”

“Oh, no,” Clo said as her mind worked through Discordia’s plan. “No, no.” A futile wriggle. She was stuck.

Discordia leaned close again. “Do you want to die here, in the dirt, your bones left for the bugs? Do you want this to be your last day in the universe?” She didn’t blink. Clo didn’t see Discordia in that gaze.

“No,” Clo whispered again, the word catching on a sob.

“All right. Bite down on this.” Eris shoved her scarf into Clo’s mouth. “For what it’s worth, I befriended you for real. And I have chosen this side. I’m not a spy. I don’t care whether or not you believe me.”

Eris brought the knife down, her strength enough to break through the bone.

Clo screamed through the gag, the pain taking over every cell in her body. She spit out the gag, panting. She wanted to tear off her own skin to make the pain stop.

“If I ever see ye ’gain, I’ll drain ye t’ the dregs,” Clo managed with the last of her breath before all went dark as the void.

5.

CLO

Present day

At least they got to use Clo’s favorite ship.