Broken Sky
Page 35
The engine was already warmed up. I flicked the starter switch and the Dove erupted into life. We turned the plane in a slow circle.
I felt Collie’s lips tickle warmly against my ear. “You know I love you, don’t you?” he shouted over the roar of the engine.
“I know!” I called back.
His arm around my waist tightened. His voice sounded rough. “No, I mean…I really do love you, Amity. No matter what, okay?”
I almost wanted to laugh. “Collie, I know! I love you too! Can we get going?”
Without answering, he shoved down on the accelerator. We started taxiing, faster and faster. The houses blurred past. I pulled back on the throttle. A few harsh bumps of the undercarriage and we were airborne.
I eased back the throttle and the Dove climbed.
COMING AUTUMN 2016
Book Two of The Broken Trilogy
Welcome to HARMONY 5: where the rebellious, the criminal and the DISCORDANT are broken.
There are only two ways out of here: OBEDIENCE or DEATH.
Anyone found trying to escape is EXECUTED.
But in a world this DARK, what has Amity got to LOSE?
A chilling and compelling journey of REVENGE, SURVIVAL and LOVE.
Acknowledgements
Broken Sky was a challenging book to write. Not only was the world so ambitious, there was that twist you’re probably still cursing me for. Reader feedback was essential, and I’d have been completely at sea without my wonderful editors at Usborne. So, first, my heartfelt thanks and lots of hugs and puppies to Stephanie King (you’re amazing and I love working with you), Anne Finnis, Rebecca Hill and Sarah Stewart. The combined efforts of all of you – your insightful comments, probing questions, and flagging of inconsistencies – made Broken Sky a far better book than I ever dreamed. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Tremendous thanks also to Katharine Millichope for the gorgeous front cover, and to Amy Dobson in Publicity for all her efforts in putting it out there in front of people.
Once you read Broken Sky you can never read it the same way again, and so to get fresh opinions I inflicted early drafts on more beta readers than usual. Lots of love and virtual cake to the following writer-pals who gave their time and comments: Linda Chapman, Keren David, Fiona Dunbar, Caroline Green, Nick Green, Melissa Hyder, Inbali Iserles, Liz Kessler, Katherine Langrish, Gillian Philip, Benjamin Scott, Julie Sykes, and Sheena Wilkinson. (So many of you are also close friends who help keep me sane – an uphill task, I know! Thanks, my lovelies.) Sincere thanks and more cake to Victoria Wilton, who took time out from her A levels to read and comment.
The fictional Firedoves are Spitfires in disguise, and I’d have been lost without expert assistance. Huge thanks to Keith Perkins, the man behind AeroLegends, who answered so many of my questions. Any errors are of course my own. Thanks also to David “Rats” Ratcliffe (flying in the Harvard with you to experience combat manoeuvres was unforgettable – I particularly liked the “rat-a-tat-tat” noises you made as we dove after another plane!), Air Marshall Clifford Rodney Spink, and Andrea Featherby. Thanks once again to Neil Chowney, who’s been my advisor on all-things-engines since the Angel days. (And by the way, can I just say that flying in a Spitfire is hands-down the coolest piece of research I have ever done, EVER!)
Massive thanks to all the readers and bloggers who’ve been cheering me on for the past two years, waiting for this book. Hope it meets expectations. Sincere thanks are also due to Caroline Sheldon for all her support over the years, and to Jenny Savill with anticipation for the future. Thanks and tackle-hugs to any friends I haven’t mentioned, both online and off – you know who you are! – and to my family, especially my sister Susan Benson Lawrence.
And to my husband Pete, who brings me flowers for no reason, understands the importance of chocolate, and spends hours talking about my imaginary people with me: thank you for always being there, even when I do mad things like embark on another big, epic trilogy. I love you.
About the Author
L. A. Weatherly was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. She now lives with her husband and their cat, Bernard, in Hampshire, England, where she spends her days – and nights! – writing.
L. A. Weatherly is the author of over fifty books, including the bestselling ANGEL trilogy. Her work has been published in over ten different languages.
Catch up with L.A. Weatherly on Facebook
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Can’t wait for Darkness Follows? Catch up with L. A. Weatherly’s ANGEL Trilogy
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“Mind-blowing, spine-tingling, absolutely brilliant.” Book Passion for Life
Willow knows she’s different from other girls. She can look into people’s futures just by touching them. She has no idea where she gets this power from…
But Alex does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows Willow’s secret and is on a mission to stop her. But in spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.
Only Willow has the power to defeat the malevolent Church of Angels, and they will stop at nothing to destroy her. But when Willow and Alex join forces with a group of Angel Killers, Willow is still treated with mistrust and suspicion. She’s never felt more alone…until she meets Seb. He’s been searching for Willow his whole life – because Seb is a half-angel too.
Training a new team of AKs, Alex and Willow’s love grows stronger than ever. But with the world in ruins, the angels are enslaving humanity, moving survivors into camps where they devour their energy, causing slow but certain death.
When Alex is forced to embark on a deadly solo mission, Willow is left to defeat the angels with Seb – and she has no idea if Alex is ever coming back…
www.angelfever.com
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This ebook edition first published in the UK in 2016 by Usborne Publishing Ltd., Usborne House, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England. www.usborne.com
Copyright © L.A. Weatherly, 2016
The right of L.A. Weatherly to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
Cover photo of abstract fantasy star background © maralova/Shutterstock Aries artwork by Ian McNee.
The name Usborne and the devices are Trade Marks of Usborne Publishing Ltd.
All rights reserved. This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or used in any way except as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or loaned or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ePub ISBN 9781474904629 Kindle ISBN 9781474904636
Batch no. 03206-02