Gilded Serpent by Danielle Jensen (top 10 novels txt) 📕

It was a brutal and bloody dance, the forces well-matched in skill and enmity, but Killian saw nothing but his opponents. Felt nothing but the thrill of the adrenaline coursing through his veins as they fought and fell to his weapons.

“Killian!”

Sonia’s voice tore him from the moment, and stepping away from a fallen man, he searched for her.

“The gods-damned camel!” she shouted, pointing.

His eyes tracked to where a lone rider led the laden camel toward a narrow gap left by the rockslide, and without thinking, he caught hold of the reins of one of the horses, swinging into the saddle.

Digging in his heels, he galloped in pursuit, not stopping to look if any of his men followed.

Clearing the slide, his eyes fixed on the Anuk warrior, the small man’s sand-colored clothing blending into the coat of his horse, face obscured by the veils they wore to block the endless desert sun.

The camel carried a heavy burden, and Killian rapidly gained ground.

The warrior hazarded a glance over his shoulder, and Killian saw how his eyes widened, but instead of abandoning camel and gold, the man tried to urge it faster.

“Fool,” muttered Killian, and he laid his spurs into the small horse’s sides and leapt over a pile of rocks the raider was forced to ride around. Drawing up alongside the camel, he sliced the taut leather lead, the camel slowing even as the warrior’s mount galloped on.

Catch him, a voice whispered in his head. Kill him.

But Killian ignored the voice, instead slowing next to the camel.

The warrior hauled on his mount’s reins, the horse wheeling and bucking as the man glared back at Killian. Yet instead of retreating, the idiot dug in his heels and charged back toward him.

“Have it your way,” Killian muttered, lifting his blade.

Sword met sword with a clash of metal. The horses sidled next to each other and lashed out with teeth and hooves, as trained to fight as their riders.

The warrior was good. Better than any Killian had fought today, moving with speed and skill. But he was half Killian’s size, and in the end, strength counted for something.

With a hard strike, Killian sent the other man’s sword spinning off into scrub brush. But in a flash, the Anuk warrior had a knife in hand, ready to throw it.

Killian was faster. His sword sliced through the air toward the warrior’s exposed side. Right as the man’s veil slipped, revealing the face of a boy.

Too late, Killian tried to alter his strike, but his weapon still slid along the boy’s ribs.

A hiss of pain filled his ears, but instead of attempting to flee, the boy lifted the knife, obviously intending to fight to the bitter end.

But Killian had never harmed a child. And he refused to do so today.

Reaching down, he caught hold of the boy’s leg and pulled him off his horse, sending him tumbling onto the rocky ground. In a heartbeat, he was off his own mount, pinning the boy’s arms with his knees while he pulled up the side of the boy’s bloody shirt to assess the wound.

“What are you doing, you Mudamorian piece of shit!” the boy shouted. “Too much of a coward to finish the fight?”

“It’s too hot to fight,” Killian answered. “And I got what I wanted.” He gestured toward the camel, which stood half-asleep in the sun. “Unlike you.”

Killian ripped a piece of fabric from the boy’s shirt and bound his wrists, tightening the knot as the boy squirmed, trying to get free.

Ignoring the onslaught of cursing that was eerily reminiscent of Finn, Killian stuffed a piece of fabric against the boy’s wound, then bound it tight. “Go home,” he said. “Tell your people that if they raid again, they will find me waiting for them. And that I will show them no mercy.”

“As if we expect mercy from a child-killer like you!” the boy snarled. “Nor do we wish it. What we want is vengeance.”

Killian blinked. Child-killer? “What are you talking about?”

“You are the Dark Horse,” the boy hissed. “The one who attacks our villages in the night.”

Unease filled Killian’s stomach, his skin crawling. “I’ve never once been across the border.”

“Lies! The survivors said the raiders wore your symbol.”

Ria had said the Rowenes army had ceased its raids on Anukastre when the King conscripted the majority of the region’s soldiers, which was many months ago. And even if this were vengeance for prior acts of war, why in the name of the Six would they have been wearing the Calorian symbol? Unless …

The thunder of hooves rolled through the valley. Hooves coming from the west. And the boy grinned. “It seems I’ll have my vengeance sooner rather than later.”

Swearing, Killian grabbed the reins of the horse and flung himself into the saddle, catching hold of the camel’s lead. Driving both animals into a gallop, he headed in the direction of his soldiers, casting a backward glance as he rounded the bend. A dozen Anuk on horseback appeared, the boy shouting at them to pursue.

Digging in his heels, he urged his mount to more speed, dropping the reins of the camel. His soldiers came into sight, along with a pile of Anuk corpses. His stomach hollowed. “Retreat!” he shouted. “They’ve got reinforcements!”

His soldiers grabbed the reins of the loose horses, and leaning out of the saddle, Killian caught hold of Sonia’s arm, pulling her up behind him. “Go!”

They all broke into a gallop, but Killian felt Sonia twist behind him. “There’s only twelve of them!” she shouted. “We can take them!”

Killian only shook his head. Because if what the boy had said were true, the real enemy was much closer to home.

 45TERIANA

There were drums beating. Loud, obnoxious drums that made her head ache like the worst hangover of her life.

Teriana cracked one eye, her gummy lashes pulling apart painfully, the light that assaulted her far too bright. Wincing, she rolled away—

And the bed disappeared from under her.

A muttered ooof filled her