Their exchange of hooves and teeth had been brief.

Blaez conceded, leaving his sister and the Dunes to Maslakhat. Fine. Good. The Akhal-Teke stallion would find a use for this land, and for her. Even if for now, he wasn’t particularly interested in the mare. He was curious to learn the reason she chose to stay, however. As he looked to her across the Dunes, he snorted, waiting to see if she intended to come any closer.

As he waited, he turned his gaze to the south toward the Desert, and he thinks of the dark mare again—that detestable Arabian half-breed and her unyielding fury. He pawed the sand as he imagined parading back there and facing her again, this time with an army, to see if at the very least that might teach her some manners. Yes, it was not a bad idea. Use this land to accrue a militia and spy on her. Maslakhat wet his lips with his tongue, as if he could taste the sweetness of her secrets. He knew she was keeping something hidden, and more than anything else he hoped by building a stronghold here he might find out what it was.

Perhaps after a thorough patrol of this place, Maslakhat would return to the Crossing and seek out El Halin. Of all the inhabitants he had met so far on the Islands, she seemed the most capable. He knew they were both searching for someone—she, the blind seer and he, Yusuf—and therefore he believed they could both benefit from having a stronghold like the Dunes.

Maslakhat grinned to himself at the thought. Only time would tell.


MASLAKHAT
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