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Back The Abyss Surrounds Us Save as PDF
Chapters (37)
  1. Dedication
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. Acknowledgments
  37. About the Author

It’s clear enough. I’m worth more to the industry dead than alive at this point.

The ships that can afford to commission a Reckoner are safe to carry the most valuable goods and people across the NeoPacific. Kill the monster, and the boat’s practically gift-wrapped for you. If the pirates make me help them, I’ll be compromising the safety of every single one of those ships and all of the trainers aboard them.

Including my father. Including Tom.

For them, I think as my fingers curl open. For them, I think as I raise the capsule to my lips.

For them.

The closet door slams open, light floods in, and the girl who dragged me in here lunges forward, slaps my hand away from my mouth, and sends the pill flying.

5

5

Her hands are around my wrists before I have a chance to scrabble for the capsule. “Don’t you dare,” she growls, twisting my arms behind my back. “Captain wants you.”

I glance up to find a tall, slim boy in the doorway who’s holding a pistol, horror written over his features. His eyes flick to where the pill landed, then back to my face. There’s a tattoo etched across his cheekbone, but in the dim light of the closet, I can’t figure out what it is.

“Varma, give me a hand here,” the girl says as she attempts to wrestle me to my feet.

I keep my legs limp. I’ve blown my chance at ending my life—the least I can do is make it as hard as possible for the pirates to get what they want from me.

Varma loops one lanky arm around my waist and lifts. “C’mon, shoregirl. On your feet,” he urges.

I twist my head to face the girl holding my wrists, a snarl rising in the back of my throat. She winches her grip tighter, as if daring me to say something. “Have some dignity,” she hisses.

“What’s the deal with your hair?” I spit back.

It’s the last thing she expected. I savor the look of utter confusion that flickers across her face. “What do you mean, what’s the deal with my hair? ”

“Watch it, Swift,” the guy warns.

I hang my head, speaking through my teeth. “Did you get bored one day and hack half of it off? You look like you’ve had a close call with a weed whacker.”

Swift releases one of my wrists and grabs me by the hair. Guess I’ve hit a sore spot. She tugs viciously upward and I cave, bringing my feet underneath me at last as I try to keep her from yanking my hair right out of my scalp.

I glance at Varma just in time to catch him mouthing, “The fuck’s a weedwhacker?”