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

A slight glimmer on the ground caught Clo’s eye. Before she could bend down, Nyx investigated it. She picked up a tiny morsel of ichor in her gloved hand, its iridescence as brilliant as it’d been on the ship. She held it close to the glass of her helmet before setting the shard of ichor down.

Wordlessly, they went down into the black.

39.

PRINCESS DISCORDIA

Three years ago

Only three children from the royal cohort remained alive: Discordia, Xander, and Damocles.

When there are two of my children still living, I will make my final decision, the Archon had said to Discordia, taking her chin in a firm grip. But I have a feeling I’ll be hanging the coronation cloak in your suite on Macella.

Discordia tried not to show surprise at his favoritism. If Damocles had heard their father’s words, he’d plot her assassination on principle.

Why? she had asked the Archon.

She wanted to know what her father still saw in her. She craved words that would chase away the doubts that plagued her after Xander had given her that unassuming little carving she carried in her pocket even though she should toss it into flames to send it straight to Avern.

Her father only released her chin and said, Because you know better than to disappoint me.

Upon returning to Macella, Discordia went to the hall in a quiet corner of the palace where the coronation cloak hung behind the glass. It had been displayed since the Archon himself had worn it centuries earlier. Light from the two moons almost turned the glittering gold material and the grand furred collar of one of the Tholosian’s first conquests silver. The display case had careful temperature and technology so the fabric, fur, and metal would remain intact and pristine. If her father was right, she’d wear it, hold the ceremonial scythe stored in the Archon’s chambers, and the people of the Empire would all bow before her.

Discordia should feel glad. Relieved. Her father was confident she’d be declared the Heir, and she was going to rule the galaxy in his name. The first woman to do so. But the doubts remained. She and Xander had dared imagine other lives they might have lived. Things they thought about in secret, that they could tell no one else.

And the only thing she’d have to do to earn it was kill one more person.

Xander or Damocles.

She had made the decision to ally herself with Damocles—but it had been the choice of a girl who cared only for enough strength in an ally to guarantee survival. There was too much softness in Xander. She remembered the way he’d rest after training with his prefect: seated on the bench, head against the great glass wall that overlooked the clouds of Myndalia, his eyes shut and his expression weary.