Free Lost mark 3 The Queen of Death: by Matt Forbeck

there were so many of the creatures to begin with shot ice through his guts. He wondered if he could really conceive how many of them there might be on an entire continent.
    He glanced at Espre. She sat on the deck below the raised bridge, soaking up the sunshine and chatting with Xalt and Duro. It warmed his heart to see her be able to put aside her cares, even if for a short time. All too soon, she wouldn’t have time for anything of the sort. None of them would.
    Te’oma swooped overhead, and Kandler’s hand went to his sword. He left it there as she landed on the deck next to him.
    "Spot anything?” he asked.
    "Mostly a lot of sand,” Te’oma said. Her eyes turned the exact same shade of green as Sallah’s and twinkled at him. "But I did see one thing.”
    Kandler watched Burch leap down from the bridge, where he’d been talking with Monja. The shifter sauntered over to them as if there wasn’t a thing in the world worth rushing for, and that made the justicar suspicious.
    "What’s that?” he said, resolving to keep his eyes on the changeling.
    Te’oma looked down at Kandler’s sword and allowed herself a tiny laugh. You have nothing to fear from me, the changeling’s voice said in his head.
    In an instant, Kandler had his fangblade out, creasing the changeling’s throat. "I could have taken your head,” he said. "You leave mine alone, and I’ll leave yours.”
    Te’oma leaned back, away from the blade, exposing a thin, red cut where the blade had been. "Understood,” she said.
    "See you two’ve become good friends," Burch said as he strode up.
    Kandler sheathed his sword. With Burch next to him, the changeling wouldn’t dare try anything.
    "He did the same thing to me when we met,” the shifter told Te’oma. "He’s not much of a diplomat, but he gets his point across.”
    "What did you find out there?” Kandler asked the changeling.
    Te’oma smiled, exposing teeth whiter than even her skin. "A ruined city,” she said.
    "Out here in the desert?” Kandler said. He wondered if she could be lying about this and, if so, why.
    "It's inhabited,” she said. "I sawyuan-ti.”
    Now Kandler was sure she was lying. At least that settled one issue for him. If she’d lie about this, then she’d lie about anything.
    "She’s right,” said Burch.
    Kandler snapped his head around to stare at his friend. "It’s called Krezent. Used to be filled with couatl. Now it’s just the snakefolk.”
    The justicar felt like he’d been slapped. "Anything else about it you want to tell me?”
    Burch nodded. "They all worship the Silver Flame.” Kandler groaned.
    Burch jerked his head back at Sallah, who stood at the wheel now, talking with Monja. "What do you want to do?” "Yes,” Te’oma said, enjoying herself. She gave a little wave to Sallah, who ignored her. "Are you going to tell your girlfriend where she can get off?”
    Kandler fumed for a moment, wondering if anyone would miss Te’oma if he sliced off her wings and dumped her overboard right now. "Don’t say a word to her,” he said.
    "See,” Te’oma said, reaching out to caress Kandler’s cheek. "It’s not so hard is it?”
    "What’s that?” he asked, his eyes locked on Sallah. "Doing the wrong thing for the right reasons.”
    Chapter
    13
    Yes?” Sallah said.
    When Kandler stalked on to the bridge, Monja took one look at him and scurried away. He suspected he knew what was on his mind, and he appreciated her giving him the space he wanted.
    "I . . .” He looked into Sallah's green eyes, the ones that Te’oma had mimicked so well, and his tongue froze in his mouth.
    "Ah,” the lady knight said, nodding. "I’d forgotten which one of us wasn’t talking to the other. Thank you for making that clear.”
    "No,” said Kandler. "I just wanted to . . .”
    He chewed on his bottom lip, not sure what he wanted to do. He just knew that he loved Sallah and wanted her to stay with him. All he had to do to make that happen for at least a few days longer