Chapter 7 · Shana Names Her Price

Shana locked the door.

Alto heard the bolt slide home and his gut went cold. Lira was still beside him, one hand on his shoulder, the other holding her medical kit. The room was small. Sand floor. Stone walls. One lamp.

Shana turned around. She smiled.

"So," she said. "Ashmar."

Alto didn't move. His ribs ached. The cut on his arm was still bleeding through the wrap Lira had started. He could feel every grain of sand under his boots. The dead were quiet, but they were listening.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alto said.

Shana tilted her head. "Your blood hit the sand and the sand sang. I've seen that twice in my life. Both times, the bleeder was Ashmar. Both times, they were dead by morning."

Lira stepped forward. "He's injured. Whatever you think you saw—"

"I know what I saw." Shana's voice didn't rise. She didn't need to. "And I know what you saw, medic girl. You touched him and you went somewhere. Don't lie to me."

Lira's hand tightened on Alto's shoulder. He could feel her pulse through her fingers. Fast.

"She's a trainee," Alto said. "She got dizzy. That's all."

Shana laughed.