BooksBarbecue
Back The Endless Skies
Chapters (57)
  1. Copyright Notice
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. EPILOGUE
  54. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  55. Also by Shannon Price
  56. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  57. Newsletter Sign-up

I exhale hard, trying to fight my desire to punch Ox in the face. With his short dark hair and quick mouth, he is the opposite of me. Even our choice of weapons contrast with each other. Ox can fight from a distance, whereas I have to get close to my enemies. Maybe that’s what Rowan meant by wanting something different—but that is too literal for her. There is something in Ox that she likes, but I don’t exactly feel up to the task of finding out what it is.

“To be honest,” Ox says, more quietly, “I’m still wrapping my brain around all this. I’m so angry at the humans, and leaving someone you care about behind is easier said than done.”

I flinch. Is this another game to him? Or does he actually mean it?

“I’m angry, too,” I reply finally. “None of this is fair.”

Ox nods and gazes skyward. His expression relaxes as he takes in the sky. “I’m sorry, Callen. I forget how I can seem to people I don’t know well.” He comes over to me and touches my right shoulder. “Let’s let it lie, shall we? We can talk about something else. What is your favorite Exin story? Skies know I have a few gems.”

Ox and I are both chuckling at the time Exin tricked Scholar Orr into cursing in front of everyone, when Sethran comes back. “No luck on water,” he says. “What the skies are you laughing about?”

Sethran’s confusion only makes us laugh harder. It feels good to feel something other than guilt. Exin told me to go. He knew his role in this fight had shifted and, in the perfect clarity of acceptance, had known to try to free me of any guilt. That was so like him. No number of practical jokes could shake his ultimately kind soul. Telling me to go was his final act of grace.

I draw a deep breath, letting the night air cool me from the outside in. Rowan, as much as she hates being left, is safe, at least. Exin has given me a chance at staying alive, and I have to take it so I can get back. I have so many reasons why I have to keep my eyes on the east, toward the cure.

To save the sick kids. To serve my king. To keep Matron Talla from bearing another loss. And to have the chance to make things right with Ro. I look idly to Ox, then turn away again.

I can’t control where her heart will fly, but I can control mine.

13

ROWAN

Dawn breaks over the rooftops. Citizens will be in their beds past their regular hours, sleeping off the night’s festivities.