“You don’t need to go out there, Iskari. The commandant already sent out hunters.”
Asha’s hand tightened on the handle of her axe. What wouldhappen if Jarek’s men killed the beast?
Asha remembered her paralyzed arm—punishment for misusing the Old One’s first gift and disobeying the command that accompanied it.
She needed to stop those hunters.
“Open the gate.”
Beneath their steel brims, the soldats exchanged glances.
“We’re under ordersnotto open it, Iskari.”
Asha frowned. “Orders from who?” Surely not her father.
“From the commandant.”
“Do you serve Jarek or do you serve the king?” Asha’s thumb slid across the sharpened edge of her axe. “Because it was my father who gave me this task, to hunt down each and every dragon”—she pointed to the shadow in the sky—“including that one.”
They didn’t answer her. They didn’t have to. Their silence was a clear indication they followed the king’s orders... until those orders conflicted with their commandant’s.
Asha prickled with unease. It was just as she feared. “Open the gate.”
Over their shoulders, the dragon dived down into the Rift—where hunters waited to kill it.
“Open it!”
Nobody moved.
“Asha,”growled a voice.
Fire flickered through her. She spun to face Jarek, who was coming at her like a storm. His official crest—two interlaced sabers—blazed across his chest.
“Tell them to open it,” she demanded, pointing her axe edge at the gate.
Jarek stepped right up to her, his gaze boring into her. It was one of the reasons people stood in such awe of the commandant: he didn’t fear her in the least.
“Tell me whereheis,” he said, “and I’ll consider it.”
He.
The slave.
Why did he seem so important to everyone around her?
She thought of his callused fingers stitching up her side by candlelight. Thought of his knee, so near her own, as she told him about her nightmares.
Asha shoved all thoughts of him down deep and glared up at Jarek.
“Isn’t ityourduty to find and catch criminals? Perhaps if you stop interfering with my tasks, you will more quickly accomplish your own.”
His eyes flashed at her.
“Five hunters have a head start on you, Asha. One ofthemwill take it down.”
“You and I both know I can kill that dragon long before the others,” she growled.“I am the Iskari.”
He grabbed her arm, squeezing until it hurt, showing just how easily he could overcome her, Iskari or not. Hewouldovercome her, once they were bound. Once there was no one to stop him.
