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Back The Art of Exile Save as PDF
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Map
  4. Dedication
  5. GENESIS INSTITUTE GUILDS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  50. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  51. IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

“He’ll never trust me if he realizes I’m related to the people in that picture.” And then I start crying and admit what I really should not. “Georgie, maybe I was wrong and they are the ones who took her. If they did, there has to be a good reason, but I need to help her.”

“Maybe it’s some kind of mistake?”

“I have to find out. Until then, please, promise me that you won’t say anything to anyone.”

“Of course, I would never.” She walks over to me and wraps me in a hug. I sink into the comfort of her support, forcing myself to take some deep breaths and to think logically.

I need to get home to help Hypatia, and I need to make it clear that I’m not coming back to Genesis until they explain everything to me. I can’t keep helping them if my own actions are putting my friends in danger. But first I have to figure out how to get off this gravdamn island. And I know exactly who can help me.

24

This is a crazy idea. And maybe a mistake.

The door swings open the moment I knock.

“What are you doing here?” Rafe asks coldly.

“I think we may be able to help each other.”

“That’s unlikely,” he says, deadpan. But he opens the door wider and lets me in.

What am I doing? Should I really tell him? He’s the last person in this place I can trust, but also, he’s not afraid to break the rules. I’m gambling on his drive to help Hypatia being strong enough that it will outweigh the rage he’s about to feel toward me.

“I have connections who may be able to help us get to Hypatia.”

He moves so quickly I don’t even have time to blink before I’m pinned against the wall, his hand pressed over my heart.

“Connections? To the Inquisitors? That does not sound good, Weed.”

My heartbeat thunders under his hand. I can feel how strong he is, and I haven’t forgotten what he said last night, about how a Sire can end someone’s life with Ha’i to the heart. Rafe’s a mercurial one all right, saving my life one moment, threatening it the next.

I’m also very aware of his closeness to me and his hand pressing into my breast.

“Get off me, creep. I’m offering to help you.” I try to shove his arm away, but he’s strong, and it doesn’t budge. The realization of my own weakness only makes my heart beat faster.

Maybe he will hurt me.

I try to push him away again, and the vulnerability of feeling so trapped causes my panic to rise. “Let me explain.”