Death Marked by Cypess Leah

Author:Cypess,Leah
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Greenwillow Books

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins Publishers

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They brought him in with his head covered by a burlap bag, his hands bound behind him. They thrust him to his knees so hard he lost his balance and, after a brief, humiliating struggle, fell over sideways.

“Gently,” Sorin said from his chair at the end of the room. “There is no need for excess.”

The two assassins straightened, but a flash of . . . something . . . preceded their obedience. Sorin wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew it was something the master had never seen when he ruled these caves.

That was a problem for later. He turned his attention to the man flailing on the floor. “Help him up and remove the bag.”

The assassins obeyed, but they were not gentle. Their captive gasped with pain as the bag scraped over his face. It was a face raw with bruises, bloodstains over purple welts, one eye swollen black. A gag was stuffed deep into his mouth and tied behind his neck. His one good blue eye glared defiance, and his mouth worked at the gag, but no sound emerged.

Sorin nodded at the two assassins. “You have done well,” he said.

They bowed and withdrew. The captive drew his lips back, as far as the gag would allow, and managed a muffled snarl.

“Welcome to my caves, Tellis,” Sorin said. “I have a proposal to discuss with you.”

The Renegai man couldn’t spit, because of the gag, but he jerked his head in a spitting motion anyhow.

Sorin got off the seat, calm and unhurried, and crossed the room. “If I remove the gag, I assume you’ll try to kill me with magic? Oh, I forgot. Renegai don’t kill. Ileni told me that, once.”

Tellis went very still.

“Yes,” Sorin said. “She’s still alive.”

Tellis closed his eyes, just for a second, relief and joy unmistakable on his face. Since his captive’s eyes were closed, Sorin allowed himself a scowl, but kept his voice smooth. “I need your help to keep her that way.”

Tellis snapped his eyes open and glared at him with an absolute hatred that reminded Sorin of Ileni.

“We need her,” Sorin said, “and we need her alive. That’s why you’re here. To help her.”

He drew a dagger, reached behind Tellis’s head, and cut the gag. It fell to the floor, stained with blood and spittle. Tellis’s mouth opened.

“Kill me,” Sorin said, “and you fail her. Though I believe it wouldn’t be the first time.”

“You’re lying,” Tellis said. He was astonishingly handsome beneath his injuries—blond hair, blue eyes, chiseled face. Once he used magic to heal himself, he would be even more so. Not that it mattered.

“No,” Sorin said, allowing nothing to show in his voice. “Nothing I’m about to tell you is a lie. In fact, all I’m going to do is tell you the truth. Then you can decide what to do with it.”

Tellis drew in a breath. “Where is she?”

Sorin inclined his head.

“Sit down,” he said. It wasn’t a suggestion. “This might take a while.”

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