He lifted his goblet to her. “You have had a taste of slave life and time to think. I am offering to marry you one last time. This is the last time. If you refuse now, you will be sent to the slave pens for the rest of your life.”

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.”

Commanders

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, now serving as Knight Commander of the Solamnic outpost in Missing City.

Lady Linsha Majere - Daughter of Palin and Usha Majere, now serving as a Knight of the Rose and Third Commander in the Circle of Knights at the Solamnic outpost in Missing City.

Knights

Sir Fellion - A Knight of the Sword currently serving in the Solamnic Circle in Missing City. Friend of Sir Hugh Bronan.

Sir Hugh Bronan - A Knight of the Sword currently serving in the Solamnic Circle in Missing City. Close friend of Linsha Majere.

Sir Johand - A Knight of the Sword currently serving in the Solamnic Circle in Missing City.

Sir Korbell - A Knight of the Sword currently serving in the Solamnic Circle in Missing City. Follower of Sir Jamis uth Remmik.

Sir Pieter - A Knight of the Sword currently serving in the Solamnic Circle in Missing City. Sir Pieter is the youngest knight currently serving in the Circle.

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.

Tomarick - A member of the Legion of Steel in Missing City.

Akkad - Tarmak term for general. Literally translates as “chief” or “topmost.” The Akkad answers solely to the Emperor.

Amarrel - The Warrior Cleric, a prophesied holy leader among the Brutes. Lord Ariakan managed to convinced the Tarmak Emperor Kankaweah that he was the Amarrel, thus solidifying his leadership over the Brutes.

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 (pi. dekegullik) – Officer in charge of one dekul. The dekegullik answer to the Akkad.

dekul (pi. dekullik) – A unit of the Tarmak army consisting of 1,000 warriors.

ekwegul (pi. ekwegullik) – Officer in charge of one ekwul. The ekwegullik answer to a dekul.

ekwid (pi. ekwullik) – A unit of the Tarmak army consisting of 100 warriors.

Kadulawa’ah - The Tarmak name of Takhisis, Queen of Darkness and Mother of Dragons.

Keena - An indigenous culture on the island of the Brutes that was subjugated by the Tarmaks. They have largely assimilated into Tarmak culture. They are the most philosophically and religiously inclined culture of their homeland, and many Keena find roles as priests, scribes, and scholars.

ket-rhild – Tarmak term for a formal challenge, a battle to the death.

Khanwhelak - The current Emperor of the Tarmak.