Of Flame, Sand, and Gold

people. Especiall

t; small enough to ignore when he was distracted,

ull ache blooming in his side. The room had this scent of iron and dust and something faintly med

sed, eyes on the street below. She had

dn't h

ilence. "You didn'

dn't leave the

uckled, like she never truly took it off. Her presence had always f

s that?"

in her gaze. "Because you're part of this whether yo

en f

e someone had slammed a door on it.

uiet. "She's alive.

pain shooting thro

t exactly. But I

ched his fi

a no

gone; lost to whatever trap had swallowed her the night his world fell

d she was still breat

u tell me befo

t ready to hear it.

bur

g my way through s

mara interrupted. "That's

was right. And it stun

peak again

tretched; hea

nd pulled a worn map from the desk. She laid it

chivist who used to work for the royal guard. He might kn

sed an eye

my face. Yours...

h was, most people hadn't even

na, still sleeping

u," Amara said. "

e that answer. Bu

about," he said. "Why does any of this matter?

me, the mask dropped just enough

buried throne," she said. "It's about what's comin

tare. "You always

le," Amara said.

ing. The pain in his body was nothing comp

was

e could burn -

, voice low. "I don't ca

ce, without smi

ed, "That's w