Nine years ago, Cassian witnessed the assassination of his father, which left him to lead the desert clan. Growing up, he had relied on help from those around him; now an adult, Cassian wants to prove his own worth. His first task -- securing the love of his bodyguard, Yashiv. Though the two have been inseparable since Cassian’s childhood, he fears Yashiv won’t let down his walls of propriety. Then Cassian finds a child, the only survivor of the king’s caravan procession. Wen claims to be the bride for Prince Manoel, the ruler of the nearby city, but underlying currents of her story raise Cassian’s suspicions. Cassian and Yashiv must find where Wen belongs, before rival clans, the city’s guards, or Cassian’s own people decide the child’s fate. Can Cassian and Yashiv find out where Wen belongs before her fate is decided by rival clans or Cassian’s own people? And can Cassian show Yashiv he’s now a man, as well as Master of his clan?

Shifting Sand

Cassian looked at Yashiv, holding out a long strip of fabric. Cassian accepted it, pressing his lips into a thin line. The ghost of a smile played around the bodyguard’s mouth before he wrapped a bronze cloth over his own face. Cassian settled the indigo scarf over his hair, then tucked it around his neck. It left only his eyes uncovered. Luckily, that let him hide his own grin.


They followed along the semi-worn path that led from camp, every eye scanning the desert for signs of danger. It wouldn’t be unheard of for the king to set this up as a trap. It’d happened before, at great loss of life for both sides. That had been during the times of Cassian’s grandfather, Hadrian. He had died during that raid—leaving his wife, Orsolya, to manage the clan until Alim had taken over. Cassian had listened in awe to stories of his grandmother, the most ruthless leader the clan ever had.


Chapter 7