THE CRY OF A WOMAN

fingers compulsively tracing the collar that couldn't be removed without the royal smith's tools. Adanna wa

ng's put a bounty on your head worth twenty prime slaves." She tossed

her blood freeze. Malik. The same man who'd smuggled her extra rations in the dungeon

e'

's bastard son and chief executioner.

gentle on her bruised wrists, his whispered promises of escape rout

k at t

alik stood alone in the twilight, his hands raised, his usually impeccabl

lled softly. "I come unarmed

he door latch. Imani bl

y guard?" Adanna countered. Her fin

shattered, his eyes wild. "Your mother lives," he said without preamble. "The kin

tered Imani's hissed curses or Kemi's sudden whimper. Some part of

s this?" Im

ather feed a nursing mother to his war dogs for refusing his be

ik's face - the tremor in his hands, the fresh blood under his nails fr

ani's spare dagger. "Take us

ched with rebel markings. "There's a way through the old grai

ed. "When h

. His jaw tightened. "I can get that off. But it will trigger an alarm spell in

en her sister's collar. Her