Linsha heard Callista give a small gasp; whether of fright or surprise, she didn’t know. She was startled when the young woman took her hand and pulled her out of the chair to the window, away from the Akkad-Dar’s hearing.
“Lady Linsha,” the courtesan whispered vehemently, “you are going to accept, aren’t you? You must.”
Linsha kept her expression passive. She turned her back to the Akkad-Dar and asked, “Why? I despise the man. You want me to marry him?”
Callista’s beautiful face filled with anger. “I’d rather you shove a knife in him. But if you say no, he’ll send you to the pens.” She clutched Linsha’s arm. “I’ve seen them. You won’t last more than a few days in there.”
“I can handle myself in the slave pens,” Linsha replied, her voice belying the fear she felt.
“Not if the Tarmaks know the Akkad-Dar has removed his protection from you. If the officers don’t take you, the warriors will put you in their war games and fight you until you are killed. Accept his offer.”
Linsha did not answer immediately. Thoughts tangled in her mind with regrets and grief and a loneliness so powerful she ached from it. Marry the Akkad-Dar, the man whom she had once known as Lanther. By the gods, how could she do it? Was death preferable?
As if Callista could see the path of her thoughts, the courtesan squeezed her arm again. “If you chose this way, you chose a chance at life. Just do what you can until your destiny reveals itself.”
Destiny. Linsha snorted. Yet… she did not know where her destiny lay anymore. For years she’d thought her destiny was the Solamnic Knighthood where she would serve with honor until the end of her days. Look where that had brought her! Dishonored, falsely accused, black-listed, abandoned, and now trapped as a captive in a fallen city. There was nothing left but emptiness.
She twisted to look out the open window, and as her body moved she became aware of the slight shift of the dragon scales under her shirt. Although she had deliberately ignored them since the battle on the Red Rose, they had remained hanging on the chain around her neck, warm against her skin.
Her fingers lifted the chain and clutched the scales through the fabric of her tunic. The reminder of the dragons brought such a rush of sadness that she swayed against the window frame.
Callista stared at her worriedly and grasped her elbow to steady her, but she said nothing more, allowing Linsha to reach her own decision.
Lanther was not quite so patient. “The tide is moving, Linsha. I must be away. What is your answer?”
She turned to him, her hand still clutching the scales. “I have a price,” she said. “A bridal gift.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Your life is not enough?”
“No,” she said with an empty voice. “My life is over. Take it if you want it. I don’t care. But if you want me, you must pay my price.”
“What then? What is it you want?”
Far away in the distant memories of a day that seemed so long ago, she remembered the words of a magnificent brass dragon, her friend, standing by the leaves of the ancient Grandfather Tree. The bond formed between a dragon and a human is worth the effort to forge it.
“Oh, Iyesta,” she breathed.
Gathering her courage, Linsha Majere faced the Akkad-Dar.
“I want the dragon eggs.”
Important Characters and Terms
Castle uth Wistan — The center of the Solamnic Knighthood in Ansalon. Located on the isle of Sancrist.
Grand Master — The highest-ranking Knight of Solamnia.
High Council — The Grand Master and the three High Knights form the High Council, which conducts the Solamnic Orders’ affairs.
High Clerist — The head of the Order of the Sword.
High Justice — The head of the Order of the Rose.
High Warrior — The head of the Order of the Crown.
Grand Master Sir Liam Ehrling — The head of the Knights of Solamnia.
Sir Barron uth Morrec — Former Lord Commander of the Solamnic Circle in Missing City. Killed in an ambush on the night of the Great Storm. See City of the Lost, Chapters 7-8.
Sir Jamis uth Remmik — A high-ranking Knight of the Crown, killed by the Tarmaks. See Flight of the Fallen, Chapters 23-24.
Lady Linsha Majere — Daughter of Palin and Usha Majere. A Knight of the Rose whose last assignment was to serve as the Third Commander in the Circle of Knights at the Solamnic outpost in Missing City.
Sir Fellion — A Knight of the Sword. Friend of Sir Hugh Bronan.
Sir Hugh Bronan — A Knight of the Sword. Close friend of Linsha Majere.
Sir Johand — A Knight of the Sword.
Sir Korbell — A Knight of the Sword.
Sir Pieter — A Knight of the Sword. Sir Pieter was the youngest knight serving in the Circle in Missing City.
Falaius Taneek — Commander of the Legion of Steel in Missing City.
Lanther Darthassian — Son of Bendic Darthassian and member of the Legion of Steel in Missing City.
Mae — An undercover operative in the Missing City.
Tomarick — A member of the Legion of Steel in Missing City.
Afec — A Damjatt apothecary and one of the chief slaves of the Akeelawasee.
Akeelawasee — “The Place of the Chosen Ones.” A part of the imperial palace set aside for the women of the imperial family.
Akkad (pl. Akkadik) — Tarmak term for general. Literally translates as “chief” or “topmost.” The Akkad answers solely to the Emperor.
Akkad-Dar — The Tarmak title given to Lanther Darthassian
Akkad-Ur — The official title of Urudwek.
Amarrel — The Warrior Cleric, a prophesied holy leader among the Brutes. It is commonly believed that Lord Ariakan managed to convince the Tarmak Emperor Kankaweah that he was the Amarrel, thus solidifying his leadership over the Brutes.
Awlgu’arud Drathkin — Literally “the egg-drink of the dragon.” A potion made from the embryo and amniotic fluid of dragon egg. It is believed to substantially increase vitality and aid one’s ability to wield magic.
Berkrath — A Tarmak goddess.
Brutes — A colloquial term used by the people of Ansalon to describe the Tarmak.
Damjatt — An indigenous culture on the island of the Brutes that was subjugated by the Tarmaks. They have largely assimilated into Tarmak culture. They are renowned on their island for the breeding and training of extremely large warhorses.
dekegul (pl. dekegullik) — Officer in charge of one dekul. The dekegullik answer to the Akkad.
dekul (pl. dekullik) — A unit of the Tarmak army consisting of 1,000 warriors.
dodgagd — A bitter tasting berry of Ithin’carthia. From it, the Tarmak make a juice, which they believe promotes good blood-flow.
Dog warriors — When a Tarmak soldier is punished, he is relegated to being a “dog soldier,” the lowest ranking worker delegated to the most menial and degrading tasks.
Drathkin’kela — A title meaning “Chosen of the Dragon” or “dragon friend.”