Chapter 23 · Untitled Chapter

"Don't touch him."

Daniel caught Amy's wrist before her fingers reached Dr. Patel's arm. His grip locked tight.

"That's not dragon work," he said. "It's siege burn."

Black lines crawled from the mark on Patel's wrist, branching beneath his skin. The patient monitor shrieked.

Mark shoved past the nurse. "Siege what?"

Daniel released Amy and leaned over the bed. Patel's body jerked once. Then his heart rate dropped.

"A tactical mark," Daniel said. "You burn it into an enemy commander. Mages use it to track the officer, the camp, everyone under his command."

Amy rubbed her wrist. "You sound pretty familiar with it."

Daniel's fingers went to his temple. "My division used it."

"Your division?"

"Third Legion. Western campaign." His eyes stayed on Patel's arm. "We pushed into Greyvale. The villages wouldn't surrender, so we marked anyone giving orders. Burned the sigil into them and followed the signal."

Mark's stomach tightened. "You did this to people?"

Daniel looked at him. For a second, he seemed younger than his face. Then the pain returned.

"I remember doing it," he said. "I remember the brand heating up. I remember writing the reports. But I don't remember choosing it.