Who knew what they would do to her? She’d prefer a bullet.

But that was when she looked at the human-sized tank neighbouring her own. A young boy floated inside. She looked to her other side, where a woman, nearly ready for cultivation, floated in the gel.

She looked every which way, and in every direction it was the same. Her comrades were being developed, unaware of the betrayal. Ignorant of what their lives were to be.

Her grip on the tank tightened, though she didn’t push away.

How many space soldiers were in this room? A hundred or more? The tank was the only chance that Romy might one day make it back to help them. That one day, she may remember and help the rebellion.

That one day, she would make the Mandate pay for the longest genocide in Earth’s history.

Romy released her grip and tipped forwards, eyes closing against her will. Gel flowed over her as she splashed into her tank. It muted the yelling from outside as the soldiers closed in.

The superficial calm spread quickly. She wondered, peacefully, if she’d ever come out.

Deimos and Phobos’s green eyes flashed. She smiled as the hazel eyes of Elara, and the blue eyes of Thrym joined the twins. She called out a greeting to them, frowning when only thick bubbles came forth.

She looked back, and the frown eased. Because a fifth set of eyes had joined her knot.

And they were grey.

Romy blinked at the grey eyes as she descended.

Down.

Down.

Down.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When Kelly is not reading or writing, she is lost in her latest reverie. She can, quite literally, drift past a car accident while in the midst of her daydreams, despite the police sirens and chaos.

Books have always been magical and mysterious to her. One day she decided to start unravelling this mystery and began writing. Her aim: to write stories she would want to read.

Fantasy of Frost, the first title in The Tainted Accords and her debut novel released early 2015. The fourth title in this series releases October 2016. The After Trilogy is her latest work.

A New Zealander in origin and in heart, Kelly currently resides in Australia with her ginger-haired husband, a great group of friends, and some huntsman spiders who love to come inside when it rains. Their love is not returned.

Visit her online and subscribe at

Or find her on

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

The Return

(The After Trilogy, #2)

Coming Mid-2017

BOOKS BY KELLY ST. CLARE

The Tainted Accords:

Fantasy of Frost

Fantasy of Flight

Fantasy of Fire

Fantasy of Freedom (October 10th, 2016)

The After Trilogy:

The Retreat

The Return (Mid-2017)

Fantasy of Frost

(The Tainted Accords, #1)

I know many things. What I am capable of, what I will change, what I will become. But there is one thing I will never know.