the sun-scorched border of the Karyan Desert, the sand was everywhere. It was in the water, i
sk down. He took a deep, ragged breath, but the air at the Forward O
k, had a faint tremor. Twelve hours. He had been sti
ion, his boots crunching on the
ogen St
l, wearing silk and drinking tea. Instead, she was kneeling in the
all frame. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a messy
sn't the fatigue. It was love. A terrifying, ov
tly took the gauze fro
e red-rimmed, but clear. "I ha
the wrap with efficient, practiced m
otions she used to use were a distant memory. Her fin
rrible," he
countered, but she did
n's dusty jeep. The sun was setting, painting the desert in vio
eek," Julian said. He unscrewed a water bottle
don't know if I rememb
e hit him hard. He didn't have a ring. He didn't have a speech. But he n
bottle paused halfway
done pretending that we're just 'childhood
led with tears. She opened her mouth to
um
stant. Like a heavy bo
siren s
r, a high-pitched wai
!" someon
ards away. The ground heaved. The shockwave hit Juli
behind the jeep. Debris rained down on the metal h
n yelled over the
ogen screamed, try
ned her down. "W
rimeter. It wasn't just s
dearm drawn. He was shouting orders, his voice booming ove
f a local villager, but he moved with the precision of a trained killer. He held
traight for Ston
ring at a target near th
He didn't calculate t
round, sprinting ac
" Julian
but it was too
the General. He felt the impact before the pai
nto his side, ju
snarled, twis
he assassin's head snapp
ked down. The handle of the knif
athe, but his l
is name. It sounded li
as a mistake. Blood gushed out, s
od wasn
hands. The blood was dark. Almost black. And it carrieis
rt sky spun above him, turning
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