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across her body, her lungs   raging as if being consumed in fire . She saw Markus and several guards burst into the room, swords drawn, but even as her husband held her, examining her for injury, she couldn’t shake the haze of her vision. As she forced herself to breathe, the feeling passed and she retched on the floor.

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PART II
    Markus glanced up at the window above, candlelight flickering in the chambers he shared with his wife, and tried to remain focused on the hunt. The image of Adrienne sprawled out on the floor, her dress torn, unable to speak, had left his vision veiled in crimson . He’d scoured every possible hiding place, interrogated every guest. None had seen Adrienne slip out of the throng. The only suspect was her last  and only  known dance partner, Councilman Havard, who’d disappeared.
     It was obvious they wouldn’t find anything tonight. Perhaps he would be able to at least get a description from his wife, now that she’d rested for a while.
    “Captain Gaius, recall your troops. Rest up. We’ll search again tomorrow.”
    The soldier saluted and retreated into the night to signal his men. In a way, Markus missed military life. Though he still managed movements and training, leading from the palace differed from leading on the field and he knew which he preferred. Marrying Adrienne hadn’t come without sacrifice, he knew they both craved t he respite a less public life would provide,  but as he crossed the ballroom floor toward the grand staircase , remembering even the short time he and his wife had shared, he smiled. He wouldn’t have traded his decision for anything.
    A few remaining guests stood next to the punch bowl, giggling in a co a rse manner. Markus frowned  at the ladies’ drunken behavior . They should have gone home hours ago.
    “I hear one of the nobles had at her.” One of the ladies hiccupped. “She couldn’t produce an heir with her peasant husband so they staged an attack. Maybe someone else can get the job done, poor girl.”
    Markus walked away, not wishing to hear more. No matter how hard they tried to keep their lives private it seemed everyone and their horse knew every disagreement, every illness, every intimate detail within minutes. Of course, it was difficult to track down goss ip with so many servants and guards about.
    A terrified scream permeated the walls, jarring Markus out of his thoughts and sending the ladies below  into a panic. It would have made him laugh had he not recognized his wife’s voice for the second time that night. He picked up the pace through the corridors, skipping three steps at a time and cursing the winding hallways of the palace. Had he ensured that she was guarded? He’d been so keen on catching that son of a-
    Fire billowed from their chambers and the body of one of the guards flew into the hallway, landing in a crumpled heap and leaving a large smear of red behind him. Another scream, this one coming from a man, echoed in the room and ended in a gargle that made Markus grimace.
    He drew his sword and eased himself next to the door opening, careful not to touch the hot, blackened stone and lowering himself to avoid the smoke and see into the room. Everything flammable burned within and blood had spattered everywhere. One of the walls no longer existed and arrows flew into the opening, trying to land a hit on the creator of the chaos.
    Markus scanned for any sign of Adrienne, but found none. It was difficult to miss the dragon, however, roaring into the night, arrows bouncing off its pitch scales like mosquitos trying to drink from a rock. Allowing the beast to be distracted by the attack from outside, Markus inched into the room, turning over blanket, drape, and clothing remnants in search of his wife. A crimson mass caught his eye and his stomach clenched. It didn’t look like a body, but he recognized the fabric. Adrienne’s already torn gown lay in shreds, drenched in blood and strewn across the room as if… as if