Novels by Becca Volk

The rain fell from the sky for so long that Elaine was beginning to believe the world was made of water. From the curls clinging to the skin of her neck, all the way down to her sopping boots, water coated her clothing, her skin. It felt as though every breath was a drink of ice water, coating her lungs until Elaine found herself coughing. Elaine was drowning on land; the only comfort the rain brought was the chill, numb, and constant distraction from the pain in her heart. “The town is close, just around this hill,” Naomi was shivering beneath her thin cloak, teeth chattering through her words. The fifteen-year-old stood close to Ruby, who seemed unaffected by the raindrops that pelted the dust into thick, black mud. Elaine met her with silence, speaking would only let the water in, and she was sick and tired of talking. Andrew held his cloak above his head, but it hardly did anything against the current of the rain. He looked at Elaine as he often did, her own dista

The knight’s name lingered on the man’s tongue, still echoing the distant memory of music that she couldn't quite place. Elaine lunged towards him. Tristan had risen to his knees after their crash but had yet to rise to his feet. The girl drove him back into the murky earth, all limbs and no grace. Pinning the larger knight face-first into the ground, the young lady held her dagger to the olive skin of his neck.“How did you find me?” The words were sharp against the man’s ear.“You were the last person I was looking for, Elaine.” “Liar.” Elaine pressed the blade deeper against his skin. Tristan’s breath was ragged, but he didn’t struggle, which made Elaine question whether or not she truly had the upper hand.“I came here with the guard. The king wants you, and the book, found.” The words were surprisingly calm for the position he was in. Elaine’s hold on Tristan tightened at his words, but the young man continued, “King Stephen wanted to talk to the old master of the guard.”“Why d

“Walk faster, Elaine is way ahead of us.” The fifteen-year-old ordered the boy whose back she hung off of. Andrew couldn’t remember why he was giving the brunette a piggyback ride; if he was correct, it was because she had said he wasn’t strong enough to.“Faster, huh? I’ll show you faster.” Andrew grinned mischievously and ran along the dusty road. Naomi clenched her arms around his neck to keep from falling off the boy's back.“Stop! Stop it! Andrew!” Naomi ordered, but the boy kept running until the pair was past Elaine, who kept her steady pace. They seemed so carefree to the knight that she felt out of place, like a character in a very different story. It was as if the author had reached through the pages and picked her up, out of her tale, and dropped her here, leaving Elaine to figure out the plotline and her place in it. Whether it was Naomi letting go or Andrew shaking her off, the fifteen-year-old had ended up in the dirt ahead of Elaine. From the slight distance whe

“I thought you said you knew what you were doing,” Andrew said as the trio walked past the same sign they had seen at least three times. The young guide exuded confidence in her abilities, but she hadn’t proven her talents thus far. Unless, of course, her talent was leading them in circles.“I probably just didn’t get a good enough read. I’ll try again. I don’t need your sass. I could leave you out here, Andrew.”“Why not just get it done sooner and feed me to the monster?”“Ruby would get a stomachache.”The boy grumbled, and Naomi beamed in triumph. Meanwhile, Elaine was flipping through the beginning of the book. She was taking the time to read the names etched onto the pale beige parchment.“Elaine?” Naomi asked, causing the knight to look up from her studies.“Hmm?”“I should get another read, and not for his sake,” Naomi sent Andrew a glare, then looked to Elaine, “But for ours.”The locator reached out her hand, and Elaine placed her own into the younger girl's outstretched pal

Elaine’s feet ached from walking, and her eyes were weary from the night of keeping watch. Andrew needed sleep, and despite his insistence, she hadn’t woken him up to switch shifts. Now they were inching closer to the smoke that towered in the distance. The town of Lydie stuck out like a jagged tooth of an old woman, all harsh shapes against an often clouded sky. Lydie lacked the beauty of the capital city, and the people were often rude and uncivilized, or so she had been told.They reached the town by noon and entered the bustling square right in the middle of market day. People were rushing to and fro, and Elaine swallowed the uncomfortable feeling of too many bodies in such a small space. Andrew's hand seemed to brush hers. “Should we ask someone if they know her?” His words were a near shout in the chaos of the market.Elaine nodded, pushing towards the rim of the city where fewer people were bartering. Shaking her hands, she nearly shivered, “Gah, I hate people.” It wasn’t supp

“Do you ever shut up?” Elaine groaned, her arms crossed in front of her eyes as the smoke rose from the fire beside her, up into the green canopy of the trees.“Elaine, this is a serious question.” The boy wore an expression of seriousness, but his eyes betrayed him, and his lips curled into a smile at the corners of his mouth. “Would you rather eat a trench worm or a bowl of Cook Norma’s famous leftover stew. This answer could determine whether you live or die.”“Fine, I’ll answer, but you have to shut up and go to sleep after.” The boy nodded, and Elaine peeked at him from beneath her arms, “I would eat the worm.”Andrew’s laughter filled the night, booming and boisterous, taking his entire essence into the sound. Pushing to her knees quickly, Elaine cupped her hands around the boy's laughing lips, “Will you be quiet! Do you want to get us killed?” It was a tight whisper in the silence. Elaine could feel his laughter fall away, the breath against her palms becoming light and gentle.