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Back The Endless Skies Save as PDF
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

Um. “The sentinels thought sending each warrior-elect alone will help us get by undetected.”

“Got it.” He exhales, then leans in to kiss me again. This time, the move catches me off guard, and after a heartbeat of bliss, a shot of worry races through me. What if Callen sees?

And skies, why does it matter if he does?

I pull back. “Where are the others?”

“We took a defensive position on a hillside to the south,” Ox replies, tilting his chin upward in that direction. “After Exin, Sethran is taking things more slowly.”

“Exin?” I ask, but as the question leaves my lips, I read Ox’s grim expression loud and clear. “Oh no. Skies keep him.” My mind goes to Callen. Exin was his best friend. I never saw the guy without a grin on his face, cheering up everyone he spoke to. “Well, tell Seth we need to get moving.”

Ox exhales a laugh. “You call him Seth?”

I pause. “Don’t you?”

“He’s my commander. I call him sir.”

“Okay, well, sir has also been with my sister for a decade,” I say. “Give or take a year. I know him, and he knows me.”

“All right,” Ox says, inclining his head for me to follow. “Just don’t forget he outranks you. You have to do as he says.”

“Well, we’ll see about that, won’t we?” I’ve already disobeyed the king and sentinels. What’s a commander?

Still, Ox’s words sharpen a truth in my mind. My sister’s partner or not, Seth is a Leonodai commander. He is trusted for a reason. Could I convince him that my deserting was the right thing to do? Would he even look me in the eyes once he knew?

That I don’t know. Which is why I have to do everything I can to make sure he doesn’t find out.

19

CALLEN

For what feels like the tenth time this hour, I wipe sweat from my brow. “I’d give my axe for a strong ocean breeze.”

“I’ll throw in a sword,” Sethran replies. “But at least we have shade and water.”

We found the small stream late last night. It didn’t run as clear as one of the Heliana’s rivers, but it would do. We’re still several days from where the scholars said the cure would be, but pushing ourselves past exhaustion would be stupid. Pacing ourselves is as much in our training as fighting past our limits.

I tip my waterskin up and am swallowing a deep gulp when Ox emerges from the underbrush.

Then I see her. She’s got dirt on her face and mud on her armor. At her side, all six of her knives curl against her thigh like ivy grown into stone. Her hair is matted and flat against her brow that’s slick with sweat, but skies, Rowan is here. On Balmora.

“Rowan?” says Sethran.