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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

Cato flinched.

Rhea’s fingers pressed firmly to his skin. “I know. I know this freaks you out,” she said. “You don’t have to be ashamed, Cato. You’re making a choice to help now. That matters.” Rhea released him and stepped back. “We all have pasts in the Empire we’re atoning for.”

Nyx still couldn’t help but feel shame too. All of them had to admit the ways in which they were complicit. Programming or not, they participated. They helped. They were small but important parts of the Empire. There was no forgetting. No forgiving.

“I don’t want to atone,” Nyx said, surprising herself. “I want to destroy the Empire.”

Clo’s hands closed into fists. “Yes.”

The others nodded.

“Then we do it together,” Eris said, gazing at each of them in turn. “Planet by planet. We burn the Empire down.”

43.

ERIS

Present day

Eris hoped this was the last time she ever had to become Zoe. It would be a relief to finally put the arms merchant to rest for good. She hated looking at the shifter mask she wore, the carefully braided hairstyle, the clothes that were meant to draw attention.

The loose, airy dress that showed more skin than she was comfortable putting on display. Everything Zoe wore was for show: gold shimmer glistened across her eyelids, contrasting with deep black lipstick; her few makeshift weapons: the little jeweled rings on her fingers, sharp enough to do damage, a hair stick plated in gold that could puncture a vulnerable throat.

Eris stared at the thin metal tips of her rings and imagined ramming one into her brother’s eye.

No. She had to keep him alive for information.

For now.

Zoe was a role she had taken over when she had less of a conscience, an extension of General Discordia without the expectations and the rules that had governed her behavior as Heir to the Archon. It had been easier when she let her anger and grief for Xander consume her—it had still been so raw, so new.

Being cold, heartless Zoe Eirene-X-2 didn’t come easily anymore.

One final time, she told herself.

Eris turned her back on the mirror. Her gaze landed on Xander’s small firewolf carving—the only thing on the table beside her bunk. She ran her fingers over the small figure.

“I’m doing my best, Xander,” she whispered. “I wish you were here with me.”

But she couldn’t even bring her talisman with her. Zoe’s clothes wouldn’t allow it. No fucking pockets.

With a sigh, Eris returned the firewolf to the table and left for the command center. Clo didn’t speak as Eris took her seat in the copilot’s chair. The silence from the other woman reminded her of those days after their last mission, when their relationship had fractured as irreparably as Clo’s leg.