BooksBarbecue
Back The Ones We Burn
Chapters (93)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Part One: Skra: Sixty Days Remain
  5. PART ONE SKRA SIXTY DAYS REMAIN
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4 Two weeks later
  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. Part Two: Monster: Twenty-Five Days Remain
  25. PART TWO MONSTER TWENTY-FIVE DAYS REMAIN
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. Part Three: Butcher: Six Days Remain
  40. PART THREE BUTCHER SIX DAYS REMAIN
  41. 32
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. 47
  57. 48
  58. 49
  59. 50
  60. 51
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. Part Four: Bloodwinn: Coup Successful
  64. PART FOUR BLOODWINN COUP SUCCESSFUL
  65. 54
  66. 55
  67. 56
  68. 57
  69. 58
  70. 59
  71. 60
  72. 61
  73. 62
  74. 63
  75. 64
  76. 65
  77. 66
  78. 67
  79. 68
  80. 69
  81. 70
  82. 71
  83. 72
  84. 73
  85. 74
  86. 75
  87. 76
  88. 77
  89. 78
  90. 79
  91. 80 EPILOGUE Three months later
  92. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  93. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ranka remained where she was. Her heart beat so hard, she feared it was going to crack her ribs. When she spoke, her voice was only for Aramis. “Well, Princess?”

Her question carried a dozen others.

Will you have me?

Will you let me stay?

Will you give me another a chance—a chance I don’t deserve but am desperate for all the same?

And Aramis looked at her and said, “Okay.”

A startled laugh bubbled out of her. She wrung her hands together. “Okay, that’s enough. All of you, please, stand back up, for the love of light, you’re making me nervous.” She cut a glare at Galen. “I am honored, truly. And surprised.”

He beamed at her and winked.

The first and future queen of Isodal regarded them all with a weary smile. “Now I suppose we ought to get back to work.”

80 EPILOGUE Three months later

THE SHIP WAS READY TO leave.

Ranka stood at the dock, a single bag at her feet. Her heart had never felt heavier.

This was the correct move. The smart one. The covens had accepted Ranka reprising her role—but there was still the question of the Skra. They’d asked her to come home, and under the new terms the Bloodwinn no longer had to stay in the palace. Not with the first batches of the winalin cure rolling out, its concentration so refined, so strong, Ranka herself now only requiring a monthly injection to keep her winalin-warped blood-magic at bay. It no longer made sense for her to remain here.

At least, that’s what she told herself.

There’d been a question of who should ferry the Bloodwinn north. The Oori had offered, but Ranka preferred the anonymity of a merchant ship instead.

But now she only wanted to turn and run.

“Don’t look so excited,” Percy said dryly beside her. “You’re getting on a boat, not climbing into your grave.”

When Percy had announced he would travel with the Bloodwinn and continue on after, no one had been surprised. Aramis and Galen cried when they hugged him, much to Percy’s utter delight. They knew better than to ask him to stay. Percy’s place in Isodal had only ever been temporary. The Star Isles was destined to draw him back one way or another.

Percy nudged her. “Looks like our welcome party is here.”

Ranka turned, worried he meant the Council or the few Skra who’d remained in Isodal to follow her around like lost puppies, but it was the twins. They were in regular dress save for their circlets, winding their way down Seaswept’s tilted streets. Seeing a Sunra in the city was no longer a shock. Aramis toured nearly every day, meeting with citizens, listening intently to their grievances, ideas, and needs. They’d come to know her face better in three months than they had her parents’ in a lifetime.