Ignis

by Tracy Korn

  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 say.

  He nods slowly, resting his head against mine as the rest of the sun slips away. “Yeah. But sometimes, they’re better.”

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  Books in this series:

  AQUA: Book 1

  TERRA: Book 2

  AER: Book 3

  IGNIS: Book 4

  If you liked The Elements series, you may also like the following books by Snowy Wings Publishing authors:

  Fourth World by Lyssa Chiavari

  Phoenix Descending by Dorothy Dreyer

  Starswept by Mary Fan

  Fangs & Fins by Amy McNulty

  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 20Books group, 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, Sarah Schmitt, Tawny Stokes, Jesikah Sundin, and so many others I’m sure I’m missing several more 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 veteran English teacher, robotics coach, novice cinematographer, and all around science geek. Her high action/adventure YA fiction (beginning with AQUA, book one of The Elements series) was inspired by her students’ everyday superpowers of empathy and problem solving. When she’s not spending time with family, writing, reading, teaching, or coaching, she can be found playing with her family’s two big puppies.

  Tracy holds Master’s degrees from Indiana University in Secondary Education, in Language, Culture, and Literacy Education, and in English. She lives in Indiana with her husband and their two very own superheroes. Stay in touch at www.TracyKorn.com.

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