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Back The Bone Shard Emperor Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. Acknowledgements
  62. Discover More
  63. extras
  64. meet the author
  65. A Preview of "The Foxglove King"
  66. A Preview of "The Stardust Thief"
  67. BY ANDREA STEWART
  68. Praise for Andrea Stewart

The stairs squeaked a little, and Mephi’s claws clicked against the wood as we descended into the darkness. I went to my room, retrieved my sword from between mattress and frame and went Lin’s door, gesturing for Mephi to wait. Just a push of my shoulder against the frame, a pull on the doorknob and the latch popped out of its resting spot. The door swung open. I stepped into her room quietly. The smell and feel of it nearly overwhelmed me. The scent of jasmine hung faintly over the bed. Everything was neatly organized, not an object out of place. I couldn’t help but remember the two assassins we’d faced down together, our bodies moving in tandem, as though we could read one another’s thoughts.

Had I been bereft of romantic contact for so long? Was I now doomed to pine over stolen moments, the way I had as an adolescent – wishing for such moments to pass again? I might have grieved Emahla’s passing, but I still missed the solidness of her presence, the familiarity of her movements, the sound of her breath at night.

Enough moping. I’d set my course for tonight, and I needed to sail it. I dug Lin’s sword out from the bottom of the chest, replacing it with my own. They looked similar enough; even the wrapping around their hilts looked similarly worn. And this way, I was fulfilling both Kaphra’s wishes and heeding Gio’s warning about keeping hold of the sword I’d found in the hideout. If it did something terrible, I’d far rather it be in Lin’s possession.

I strapped Lin’s sword to my back next to the staff. “Let’s go,” I whispered to Mephi. He crept to my side like a shadow. I left the room and pulled the door back into place, turning toward the stairs.

Light flared, nearly blinding me. I brought my staff to bear, blinking as my eyes adjusted, my pulse pounding at my neck, already a thousand excuses running through my mind. I couldn’t be caught. Not here, not now.

Someone had entered the hall, a lamp raised in one hand. The person’s other hand lifted, one finger pointed up.

“Ah,” Ragan said. “I do not think you are supposed to be here.”

31

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Lin

Hualin Or

Thrana wanted to come with me. I held her head between my hands. “I can get you up onto the roof, but how will I get you back down into the room? Please – the best thing you can do for me is stay here and to be safe.”