The cold of the underground stone was nothing compared to the sudden, sharp warmth that bloomed inside Logan’s mind.They had paused in a narrow, pitch-black vein of the dwarven network, far ahead of the resting rebel line. The salty breeze from the distant sea drainage was a faint whisper, but the darkness here was so absolute that even Logan’s enhanced golden vision was beginning to blur against the heavy shadows. He sat with his back against the granite, his chest heaving as the raw dragon heat inside him threatened to break through his skin in a violent, uncontrollable glare.Stop fighting the energy, Logan, Vivienne said, her voice sounding right beside his ear, though her lips had not moved.The telepathic link she had anchored between their minds weeks ago was suddenly vibrating with terrifying clarity. It was no longer a faint murmur of thoughts; it felt like a physical bridge. Logan could feel the rapid, steady beat of her heart, the cool precision of her analyt

The safety of the stone tunnels died the moment the smell of rotting fish and cheap whiskey hit the air.Logan pushed open the final, rusted iron drainage grate, stepping out onto a narrow ledge of wet black rock. The cold sea wind hit his face, carrying the wild noise of a world completely hidden from the high council. Below them, tucked into a massive, jagged cove where the cliffs of Alistair met the jagged waters of the Sun Kin Dominion, lay a sprawling mess of wooden docks, mismatched stone shanties, and swaying ship masts.Welcome to the Black Reef, Kassia said, stepping up beside him and wiping a layer of tunnel grime from her brow. It is the only place on the map where a royal guard will get a knife in his throat just for showing his badge.It looks like a floating junkyard, Vivienne murmured, helping Master Malek navigate the slippery rocks. How has the crown not burned this place to the ground?Because the pirates here sell information to both sides, Vivienn

The first lesson they teach you at the northern academy is that steel does not care about the blood in your veins, only the weight behind the edge. The shattered remnants of the tavern table lay scattered around our boots, and the early morning wind was just beginning to stir the heavy gray fog rolling in from the lower docks. Captain Vance Senior adjusted his grip on his heavy naval cutlass, his boots shifting slightly on the wet, blood-stained planks of the balcony. The dozen pirate guards surrounding us stayed perfectly still, their drawn blades catching the faint, orange glow of the dying oil lamps. You are moving a little slow for a vanguard boy, Vance Senior said, spitting a line of dark saliva onto the floor between us. My son used to tell me that your unit could run three miles through sand and still have enough breath to clear a shield wall. Your son was talking about a unit that had regular rations, Captain, I replied, wiping a smear of grime from my forehead with the b

The tip of my dead friend's curved blade brushed the gray hairs of the pirate king's throat, but the true battle was already over the moment he let his own cutlass drop.The heavy metal weapon fell to the wooden balcony with a loud, hollow clatter that seemed to echo across the entire dark harbor of the Black Reef. My breath was rattling in my chest like loose stones in a box, and my bare forearms were shaking from the sheer physical strain of keeping the draconic heat from breaking through my skin. Around us, the dozen privateer guards stood like frozen statues, their hands still gripping their hilts, their eyes wide as they waited for me to press the iron home.Go ahead, boy, Captain Vance Senior muttered, his rough voice completely level as he stared up at me. Slide it in. You won the floor honestly. Let the crew see what happens to an old fool who forgets how to handle a vanguard form.I do not kill men who have surrendered, Captain, I said, my voice dropping into a

If we died in the morning, I did not want to leave this ocean without telling Vivienne the truth.The wind off the western sea was cold enough to cut through my linen shirt, but I stayed pinned against the wooden railing near the stern, watching the white foam churn behind the ship. The deck was mostly quiet now. Most of the crew were sleeping below, resting their arms for the battle ahead, leaving only two lookout guards stationed at the bow. The ocean stretched out endlessly around us, pitch black under a blanket of heavy clouds that blocked the stars.I heard her boots before I saw her. The soft, rhythmic click of her heels against the wet deck boards was a sound I could recognize anywhere.You should be sleeping, Logan, she said, coming up beside me and leaning her forearms against the wooden railing.I looked over at her. The dim yellow light from the stern lantern caught the sharp line of her jaw and picked out the stray dark hairs slipping from her braid. She