ery'

d the charred stink of silver on flesh. The captured Rogue hung on the wall, skin at h

t his feet. "Two million. Bearer bonds. Paid by Brande

ame out of his throat.

is in my

shallow breathing. He talked, vo

would be on the Old Wastes Highway. Time, plate, route, all of it exact. Three objectives: s

e for

ood and wild meat into her glands. Once the s

k. Brandee didn't want Ember dead. She wanted Ember alive and worse than

the b

channel. Money came thr

hit play. Brandee's voice came out of the speaker, sharp, arrogant. "Three is enough. Don't kill anyone, but I want her to look l

r's voice echo around the interro

Brandee in c

e m

ch m

wide. "He came once. Didn't get out of the car. Window down a crack. Brandee ha

e let his own fiancée be stopped on a highway by rogues, just to be certain sh

ad her own family name, her own connections, her own will. A con

rl

er

And put the northern outpost smuggling on hold. Pull the patrols back. I want the Wastes Highway covered. Starting

es

e command center. The light tubes overhead hummed. There was wo

tion of wife. But a man who would let his own fiancée be drag

my coat an

way was marked in red, with Bowers Estate, Langley's garrison, and the Zimmerman nort

could feel her, distant, like a lamp

rl

er

car read

ere

to be there before the

't ask anything else. He

ils had cooled, but at the other end o