IGNIS (The Elements Series Book 4), page 31
Because endings and beginnings are things that happen at the same time, Riptide, he thinks, eavesdropping on my thoughts. Or maybe this is one that I let him find in me.
“What will you do now?“ I ask, almost afraid that no matter what he says, I won’t know how to feel about it.
“Well, there’s the Presidential Gaia 2.0 scholarship slot if I want it. And Dez’s family felt so bad about what her father did that they offered Lyden and me positions in the new cinematics industry they’re building in Admin City. Next generation virtuo-cines.“ A flash of panic hits me at this, but I catch myself before I ask him the question he already knows I’m going to ask. He looks at me sideways and smiles. “Don’t worry, Rip. I’m never going back there again. I found what I went looking for in the cines.“
“So you’ll come to the new Gaia with us?“
“I don’t know. I think it’ll depend on the schedule.“
“What?“ I ask, trying to keep the laugh out of my voice. Liddick shrugs, stifling his own laughter.
“Thanks to Hart, Ludwig Sprague is an unmarred man with wicked security clearances,“ he says, nodding to the water. “Grisham and Tarriff are never getting out of Lima after this all goes to tribunal. Someone needs to watch your back out there.“
“Watch my back?“
“And everybody’s in the Badlands. Finn and I had plans to clean it up and make sure people got a fair shot. Grisham used to be on board with that until he got selfish.“
“So, you’d become the new Grisham?“
Liddick turns to me with a wide, Liddick-caliber smile.
“Riptide, are you afraid of what I might add to the subliminal feeds once the Grid is back up and running?“ He raises both dark eyebrows at me.
“No.“ I roll my eyes and laugh.
“Well, you should be,“ he says, knocking into me, but then he sobers. “But I mean that about always having your back.“
“I know,“ I say, leaning into him. “And I’ve always got yours.“
He wraps his arm around me against the breeze coming off the endless water, which is dancing with sparkles and the riot of color reflected from the sky. The sun starts to dip below the water, and there’s no more haze to conceal the first star appearing just above the horizon.
“It’s funny, you know…that the first star we see out here isn’t even a star,“ I say, leaning my cheek on his shoulder just like I did that night on the dune before we left for Gaia Sur. “It’s a planet.“
“Venus.“
“There are so many things that aren’t what they appear to be in this world…“ I think out loud.
He nods slowly, resting the side of his head against mine as the rest of the sun slips away. “Yeah, but sometimes, they’re better.“
Thank you so much for reading The Elements series.
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Acknowledgments
Thank you so much to my awesome beta readers: Ron and Deb Commons, Emily Gangloff, Alicia Hooley, Manie Kilian, Margarita McClain, Tracy Siri, Jon Skelly, Anna Swenson, Cassidy White, Christian Yoder, and Christine Yoder. I so appreciate your time, keen eyes, honesty, and support! Also, many thanks to the indie community for being such a big family, especially the AAYAA group, 20Books group, and the Dystopian Bookworms group, authors Dr. Dennis Chamberland, Dave Chesson, Ira Heinichen, Alison Ingleby, Michael W. Huard, Logan Keys, Alex Lidell, Craig Martelle, Brian Meeks, Derek Murphy, Sarah Schmitt, Tawny Stokes, Jesikah Sundin, and so many others I’m sure I’m missing who have been generous with their time, insight, advice, and support. My amazing audiobook narrator and long lost little sister, Dana Dae, I just love you! To infinity and beyond with all we do. To my publishing pals in the Snowy Wings group, especially Amy McNulty, editor extraordinaire, and my INFJ sister friend, Lyssa Chiavari. I’m holding you to the drinks and the sure-to-ensue dago laugh riot (no, the world is not ready). As always, my undying gratitude to my former students involved with this project, especially Arianna, Derek, Devlin, Josh, Katie, Kayla, Liam, Olivia, Timmy, Will, and Zoe. Every time I wrote a line for these characters, you were there; none of them would have existed without you. To my long-time writing partner, the irreplaceable Ryan Bachtel, the value of your insight to me is second only to your friendship. I’m going to move to that mountain view one of these days, and we can swap manuscripts on our front porches with the pups. Of course, thanks does not begin to express my appreciation for my family: Mom and Dad, for always having my back. James, Laura, and Michael, thank you for your encouragement, support, and daily inspiration (and for putting up with my erratic sleeping habits). Love you guys.
Wow. It’s so hard to believe this is really the end of the series…I guess it’s time to start a new one!
Thanks for hanging out with me in this world for the past four years.
About the Author
Tracy Korn is a sci-fi / fantasy author and all around science geek who may or may not have a "Lip Smackers" chapstick addiction. When she’s not inventing dystopian worlds (and subsequently saving them or wrecking them more), she reads about other people doing it, practices her newbie cinematographer skills, and dreams of someday meeting James Cameron. Stay in touch at www.TracyKorn.com.
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If you like The Elements series, you may also like these Snowy Wings books: Fourth World by Lyssa Chiavari and Starswept by Mary Fan
Tracy Korn, IGNIS (The Elements Series Book 4)
