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Back Truth of the Divine Save as PDF
Chapters (70)
  1. Also By Lindsay Ellis and Available From Titan Books
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. Author’s Note
  7. Part 1: It’s A Fool Who Plays It Cool
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. Part 2: Love Has A Nasty Habit Of Disappearing Overnight
  15. 7
  16. 8
  17. 9
  18. 10
  19. 11
  20. 12
  21. 13
  22. 14
  23. 15
  24. 16
  25. 17
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. Part 3: A Crowd Of People Stood And Stared
  35. 26
  36. 27
  37. 28
  38. 29
  39. 30
  40. 31
  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. Part 4: Happiness Is A Warm Gun
  57. 47
  58. 48
  59. 49
  60. 50
  61. 51
  62. 52
  63. 53
  64. 54
  65. 55
  66. 56
  67. 57
  68. A Fiction Agreed Upon
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. About the Author

Kaveh had chosen Iceland not just because it would be nearly impossible for the United States to extradite him but also because at this point, full personhood was all but guaranteed to be the law of the land of that small island nation. “So if I do this, you’ll let her go.”

“SHE IS NOT MY CAPTIVE. SHE MAY GO AS SHE WISHES. BUT IF YOU ARE ASKING IF I WILL TAKE HER ANYWHERE I TAKE YOU, THEN I WILL.”

“And if you find Jude, if you resolve whatever the problem is with him, you’ll come with us?”

“IF IT PLEASES YOU, DEAR CLEVER CREATURE. IF I AM TO HONOR OUR SHORT-TERM AGREEMENT REGARDING OUR LIFE SPANS, AND IF WE ARE TO STAY ON THIS PLANET AND DIE HERE, I WOULD PREFER TO STAY WITH YOU AND FOR YOU TO CONTINUE TO BE MY LIAISON AND INTERPRETER. THE COUNTRY IN WHICH YOU RESIDE IS IMMATERIAL TO ME.”

Kaveh nodded, took a moment, and then got up to go into the bedroom where he had been packing his bag. At least now he didn’t have to worry about the three-ounce rule for liquids and gels anymore. He grabbed the manila folder from his satchel, returned to the living room, and held it out to Paris. “This is the hard copy.”

She took it, handling it like it was some precious ancient relic.

“If anything happens to me, if I’m not able to deliver my copy to The New Yorker, or if we get detained . . . well, people have a way of disappearing where these guys are concerned. We learned that with the Sabino family.” He nodded toward Nikola, who was lifting himself to his feet. “If anything happens to me, would you make sure this gets where it needs to go?”

“Of course.”

He tamped down the swell of nervousness in his chest. “Yeah.”

Paris stood, and then the two hugged, longer and tighter than they ever had in the time they’d known each other. Then she stood back, holding the manila folder to her chest like a teddy bear, and looked at Nikola. “Please, take care of him.”

“I WILL LET NO HARM COME TO HIM.”

“I’m sorry I reacted with fear when I first saw you.”

“I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BODY I INHABIT IS INTIMIDATING TO HUMANS. I HAD NO MEANS OF COMMUNICATING PEACEFUL INTENT.”

“I . . .” She laughed. “I wish we’d met under different circumstances. I would have liked to talk to you more.”

“DEAR GENTLE CREATURE.” Nikola regarded her, his eyes brightening with mottled blues and purples. Then he said, “WE WILL MEET AGAIN.”

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