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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

Discordia slid her hand into her pocket and grasped the firewolf, running her finger over the carved grooves already growing shiny from the oils in her fingertips. It had become a talisman. A memento of the first moment she went against expectations by letting him live.

“What if you don’t have to die?” Discordia asked.

Xander’s smile faded. “What?”

“What if I chose you instead of Damocles?” At his hesitation, she grasped his arm. “You said yourself that he’s not fit to lead. Damocles is too impulsive. He can’t think clearly.”

“I also just said that I’m not fit to lead, Discordia.”

“Then be my second. My Brigadier, my Spare. We can take Damocles out while he’s too distracted with the conflict at the Garnet.”

Her father wanted to conquer a newly discovered planet in a nearby solar system that tests determined had excellent soil composition: another potential source of food for their expanding empire. One the Evoli Oversouls were just as interested in making theirs, and the conflict had killed too many soldiers as it was. Discordia knew it was only a matter of time before her father had her direct more forces away from the planet and engage the Evoli in more familiar territory. Until then, Damocles thought to prove himself to the Archon by coming and going from the frontlines.

“Discordia . . .”

“Do you want to die?” she asked him. “Do you want me to take this gun and shoot you today and say last rites? Strike your name off my list? Do you want Damocles to be the one who stands second in line to the throne?”

He exhaled, long and slow, then shook his head.

“Then help me, frater.” She saw his surprise at her use of the old word for brother. “You said to change the Empire and make it mine. I say we make it ours. I can’t do this on my own. We can make it better.”

By killing Damocles.

40.

ERIS

Present day

They descended into an old mining tunnel.

A few glimmers of ichor threaded through the black rock like rivers of opal, and while Eris admired its beauty, she reminded herself of the danger. Rhea had heard something down there, and they didn’t know how stable this tunnel was.

Eris strained to listen for any indication that they weren’t alone. She heard nothing more than the echo of their steps and the cadence of four other breaths crackling through the comm devices in their helmets, one more ragged than the others.

Rhea.

Concerned, Eris glanced back to see Rhea stumble, only just managing to hold herself up by the handrail. Through the helmet, Eris could see Rhea’s dark hair stuck to her temples, beads of sweat dotting her forehead.

“Rhea?” Eris said. “Are you all right?”

“Something the matter?” Nyx’s voice echoed through the shaft. The soldier was leading the way, the light from Ariadne’s tablet held aloft.