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“You always did like a challenge, Commander,” the Rathalan leader said with an ugly laugh. He leaned forward and waved his hand. “She’s all yours. Enjoy.”

Commander Bloodbain ordered two towerguards to clamp the collar back around my neck. Meat’s face fell like a kid whose favorite toy had been taken away.

“Now, get her out of my sight,” Thrailkull spat.

8

Jeddak

Ikept my spine rigid as I stood next to the other two guards stationed outside Thrailkull’s throne room, secretly eavesdropping. There was nothing I could do to help the girl now without getting us both killed. All I could do was wait.

“Well?”Thrailkull bellowed from behind the closed doors.

I couldn’t hear the girl’s answer, if she was responding at all.

“He hasn’t mentioned the stone,” Kah said from the necklace, keeping his voice low despite the fact no one could hear him except me unless he wanted them to.

Maybe Thrailkull didn’t know about it. From what I’d overheard, he only seemed interested in the location of the Zavien tribe for his own destructive purposes. If he’d seen the book in the archives, he would have known more about the Zavien tribe than he appeared to. So, ifhedidn’t rip the page from the book, who did?

I strained to listen as Commander Bloodbain spoke. “… release the girl to me …”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding in, sending silent thanks to the sky goddess that Thrailkull hadn’t killed her on the spot. Though I doubted she had long to live as Bloodbain’s personal prisoner.

Moments later, the heavy doors were opening.

Time to go.

“We’re missing something,”I said to Kah, stepping outside into the cold night air. Nothing was adding up. The Magi seer had sent us to Malengard. We hadn’t found the Zavien stone. Instead, we’d met a girl from the mythical Zavien tribe. What was I not seeing?

Above me, the Obsidian Tower loomed in the darkness like a giant shard of black glass jutting out of the earth. Wooden scaffolding climbed up the western face of the structure supporting the top of the tower, which was still under construction. Even incomplete, it defied any form of architecture I’d seen before, even that of the most powerful Terrans, who could use their magic to shape the materials of the earth to their will.

Smoke billowed from the underground weapons forge on the far side of the tower. In the distance, I could hear clamoring and shouting coming from down the hill. Army camps. Days ago, Kah and I had learned the rumors were true. Malengard was building an army. I needed to warn the other tribal kingdoms that Thrailkull was planning an attack on Eastlandra.

“You were right about the girl being a Zavien, though,” Kah said. We both overheard her admitting as much to Thrailkull.

“Now we need to know if she’s connected to the stone in some way,” I said, striding toward Thrailkull’s stables. I couldn’t get the vision of her out of my head. The look of betrayal on her face on the platform was haunting me. I had a gut feeling she was important to our quest; I just didn’t know how. I couldn’t risk a run-in with Commander Bloodbain to talk to her—at least notwithout being certain she could lead me to the stone. I needed answers.Now.

“And you think a bunch of horses will be able to tell you?” Kah said from the necklace.

I smirked. “No, but I know exactly who can.”

“And that is …?” Though I couldn’t see him, I could envision his big, bushy eyebrows raising.

I didn’t respond as two patrol guards passed. When they were out of sight, I slipped inside the lantern-lit stables. The overpowering smell of animals, straw, and feces made my eyes water. Some of the horses stuck out their heads from the stalls, their black eyes studying their new visitor. “Now, which horse should we borrow?”

“Borrow? We’re coming back?”

“It depends on what we find out tonight,” I said, patting my pocket to make sure the page I’d torn from the book was still there. There was only one person I knew who’d be able to give us the answers we were seeking.

“Should I remind you that your disguise is about to wear off?”

“No.”

“Then should I remind you that Kovaks don’t ride horses?”

“No.”

“Hmph.”