At the corpulent captain’s interruption, Ghassan glanced back.
“For the risk and cost, but not for doing my duty,” the captain went on, “would there be some ... reward?”
Ghassan’s mouth soured at such greed. The prince could be far more generous with the people than his father had been, but he did not like impudent attempts at obligation. Then Ghassan noticed Aweli-Jama still stared at the prisoners in almost open fear, and Ghassan finally gave his full attention to those prisoners.
One was male, obviously Lhoin’na, though the structure of his face—his ears—was not quite right. Half-breeds were nearly unheard of, and this one was darker skinned than most of his kind, as were the two Shé’ith, now that Ghassan considered on this.
He looked to the woman bound with the steel bar.
She was beautiful in a barbarous way, though clearly in need of a bath, as was her companion. She was as pale as he was darkly tanned—perhaps too pale—and her black hair glimmered with strands of dark red under the light of the glass dome.
There was something familiar about her, though Ghassan was certain he had never seen her before. And when he looked again to the wolf in the cage and met its crystal-blue glare, something sparked in his thoughts.
No, he had never seen this group, but he had read of them.
Ghassan had done his best to memorize every critical passage from Wynn Hygeorht’s journals, which he had been able to gain access to during his stay at the Numan branch. In particular he had focused most on anything concerning her travels on the eastern continent. The recognition of these three brought him no peace or comfort as his gaze returned to the pale, black-haired woman.
There were other unwritten things he knew.
There were words written only in thoughts, recorded in ensorcelled memories among his sect, to keep them from prying eyes.
And yet the pawn in the war to come had been moved into the open too soon ... and captured.
A dhampir crouched in bondage before the imperial prince.
Ghassan barely suppressed panic as he looked to Prince Ounyal’am. The prince only stared at the woman whom Ghassan recognized from Wynn’s journals as the one named Magiere. He quickly finished the last of his spell.
Have you snuck into my thoughts yet again ... Domin? Do you see what has happened?
And now that he had, Ghassan lowered his gaze before his focus might be noticed by others.
Yes, my prince.
True to Ghassan’s mentoring, the prince never revealed anything in his expression.
Then flee now ... before I am forced to take your life.
Domin Ghassan il’Sänke did not reply in word or thought. The next forms and signs and sigils filled his sight as he looked down upon the mosaic floor and thrust against it with his whole will. He shot upward, quickly covering his head.
The impact shattered the glass dome amid shouts and screams from the imperial court.
Ghassan’s wits dulled as the bright blue heavens grew suddenly dim before his eyes.