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 others moved closer, but Rhea stumbled back. No, she couldn’t stand their stares, the way they all felt. She had never seen emotions in such vivid colors before landing on this infernal planet, and now they were all focused intently on her. On her skin, which burned as bright as someone from the Evoli Empire. Their feelings stabbed at her like blades to the gut: Cato’s purple wariness. Nyx’s startled orange. And Eris . . . no, she couldn’t sense Eris anymore. That made her pause. Damocles and the Archon had been the only ones she couldn’t read unless she was touching them.

“Rhea,” Clo whispered. Clo drew Rhea’s attention away from Eris. The other woman was staring at her, eyes wide. “Ariadne, what’s happening to her face?”

Clo was afraid. Her fear emanated in jagged lines, bright blue. Afraid for Rhea, or afraid of her? Rhea couldn’t tell. It doesn’t matter. It’s too late. The damage is done.

Rhea doubled over, wanting to be sick.

“Ariadne,” Clo snapped. “You have those files. Is Rhea sick like the others from the ichor?”

“Use your damn eyes, Clo,” Eris said impatiently. She gave Rhea a hard stare. “We have members of Evoli resistance back at Nova. She’s clearly Evoli.”

No, not that. You would be blessed if you were Evoli. You’re the opposite, a small inner voice told her.

Clo’s gaze felt heavy. Too much. All their emotions crawled across Rhea’s skin like insects. She kept pushing and pushing and pushing it all away—protecting herself from the jagged edges of their judgment—and everyone in the barracks physically backed away from her.

She was controlling them, offering no choice but to feel and to do as she commanded.

Rhea curled into a ball, covering her face with her hands.

“Rhea?” Ariadne. Her soft steps tiptoed closer.

Back! Rhea thought, as loud as she could. Before, she’d only been able to moderately influence emotions. Had they heard her thoughts or just the wild surge of fear, rage, and revulsion she felt for herself?

Ariadne retreated, stumbling in her haste. Dust rose from the floor of the barracks, glimmering gold in the shafts of sunlight. Everything seemed suspended: sound, movement, time. Rhea’s whole body was hyper alert, her skin tingling.

It was this place: this toxic planet filled with rock that felt alive. She wanted to go back to the ship, watch the stars with Clo, pretend everything was normal.

Someone else tried to approach, but Rhea threw her hands up, palm out. Leave. Get out!

Unable to resist the influence of her abilities, the others wordlessly left the barracks—except Eris. Eris remained by the door, her expression shuttered. A part of Rhea wanted to touch the other woman, learn more of her secrets. How could she—