Night Spinner (Night Spinner #1) - Addie Thorley Page 0,29

all, they refuse to honor their military obligations. They are deserters, Enebish.”

As elated as I am to hear there are others who still believe as I do, this last admission is a knife in my ribs.

It is the greatest honor and highest accolade to be an Ashkarian warrior. The thirst for battle is sewn into the fabric of our beings, and conquest is the lifeblood of our economy. By continually pressing the standards of Ashkar blue and gold and welcoming more Protected Territories into the empire, we increase our grazing lands, replenish our herds, and gain a great many resources. There are very few rich men across the Unified Empire, but there are very few poor men, too.

Our conquering lifestyle also provides much needed unity. As a patchwork nation with ever-changing borders and varied peoples—from the dark-eyed dwellers of the deserts of Verdenet, where I’m originally from, to the yellow-haired river people in the marshlands of Namaag, to the stout ice-fisherman of Chotgor—the cause of war binds us together. By fighting side by side, we forge a kinship. An unbreakable bond. They become us and we become them, and together we lift Ashkar to new heights.

Running from this calling is the biggest disgrace imaginable. An abomination in the eyes of the Sky King and the Lady of the Sky. The one thing everyone can agree upon across every language and culture.

“Deserters,” Ghoa repeats, disdain dripping from each syllable. “And Temujin is the worst of them, the instigator. He fled from his post at Novesti a little over a year ago, leaving three hundred men to die at the hands of the Zemyans, and he encourages other warriors to do the same. And they follow him because he claims to be Goddess-touched. Can you imagine? Though there’s nothing divine about stealing cannons and raiding supply wagons, luring warriors away and rescuing condemned criminals. Scores of shameful deeds that must be stopped.”

I finger the holey hem of my robe, unable to look up. Because I am one of those condemned criminals. Another shameful deed. Ghoa doesn’t even recognize her offense. She continues muttering and wringing the gray fabric through her hands. “They spit on their duty to our country and king, and I will not stand for it.”

“Surely you and the Kalima can capture Temujin and put an end to this? It should be easy for such highly trained warriors to track down one boy and a handful of Shoniin.”

“You would think so….” Ghoa says, viciously tightening her ponytail. And suddenly it all makes sense. This is why she’s back in Sagaan. He, Temujin, is the reason she’s returned. I have a special mission, isn’t that what she said?

“You are tasked with capturing him,” I say. A statement, not a question.

“I am.” She stares across my chamber for so long, I’m certain the topic is dead. It’s official business, after all, and I’m no longer privy to such things. That’s why I nearly tumble to the floor when she slams the cloth against the trunk and turns. Her icy breath burns across my cheek. “And you, Enebish, are going to help me.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

I WAIT FOR GHOA TO LAUGH.

She’s toying with me. Delivering the cruelest punishment imaginable. But the seconds tick away, and she continues staring—expectantly.

Hope patters in my chest. A blazing trail of need burns up my throat, and I shoot to my feet. “Are you in earnest?”

Before she can answer, my bad leg gives out and I crumple against the trunk. Thanks to the zurig, I’m even more wobbly and lopsided than usual—like the gnarled, windswept trees dotting the grasslands.

I stare down at my feet. “Look at me. It’s laughable to think I’m even capable of hunting Temujin. You watched him scale the Sky Palace and soar through the banners. I would never be able to keep up. I’m a shadow of the warrior I used to be.”

“Strength can be regained.” Ghoa unsheathes her saber and holds it out. The etched steel glimmers in the low light, and my fingers ache to take the grip. To feel the perfectly balanced weight of the tang and shaft in my hand. To feel my old calluses, buried so long ago, rise back to the surface.

But it’s impossible.

I clutch my arm to my chest. “Why are you even suggesting this? I can’t be out there on my own—you of all people know that.” The crowds’ vicious taunts still ring in my ears. I can see their snarling faces and feel the monster’s claws thrashing