Dragonvein Book Four by Brian D. Anderson

him so. As did its bright light filtering in through closed eyes. But how did one return from oblivion? That was impossible. Wasn’t it? And yet here he was. He opened his eyes, though the dazzling rays immediately compelled him to shut them again. He tried to roll over, but it felt as if his body was paralyzed.
    “Don’t move.”
    The feminine voice was soft and muffled, as if coming from the other side of a door.  
    Kat? Probably. She must have somehow dragged his body the rest of the way from the passage and healed him. But if he was healed, why could he not move? What had the poison done? Perhaps it was beyond her skills to heal him completely.
    Little matter. He would get them to Lylinora quickly enough. Now that he was outside, he could use magic to speed them along. Even if his body was failing, his power would be undiminished.
    “Help me up,” he said. Even to his own ears, his voice was little more than a whisper.
    “Be still,” she replied. She was sounding a bit clearer now.
    He forced his eyes open again, this time squinting against the sun's powerful glare. “Where are we?”
    “Just outside the cavern entrance. You almost didn’t make it.” Kat used her hand to help shield his eyes. “I had to carry you.”
    “Thank you,” he said, forcing a weak smile. But something was wrong. Kat’s face was set hard. “Why do you look at me so?”
    “I’ve known it was you all the time, Martok,” she said. “I’ve known for a while.”
    He renewed his effort to sit up, but still with no success. “What are you talking about?”
    “I know you’ve been pretending to be Ethan. Do you think I’m stupid? You think I can’t tell the difference?”
    Martok’s senses instantly sharpened. It wasn't weakness that was preventing him from rising - he was being restrained. As awareness continued returning he felt something disturbingly familiar around his neck. The collar. Kat had put that cursed collar on him. The memory of his wife standing over him in similar circumstances came back in a rush. The hate in her eyes. The fury in her voice. And now history was repeating itself. Once again, a woman that he loved had betrayed him.
    “Release me at once,” he demanded. “You're wrong. Wrong about everything.”
    “Don’t bother lying. I know you blackmailed Renald into keeping quiet.”
    Renald . The very sound of the name provoked his anger to an even greater pitch. He would make very sure that the old man suffered once he was free.
    “Renald is a fool,” he growled. “I should have known he cared nothing for his son.”
    Kat shook her head. “Renald didn’t tell me anything. Lylinora discovered the truth by using a spell while he slept. She was the one who told me. Not that it made any difference. I already knew by then anyway. I knew the game you were playing.”
    “If you knew, why didn’t you say something? Why pretend to love me as if I was Ethan?”
    “I wasn’t pretending.”
    Her response threw him for a moment. He eyed her curiously. “ Now I would know why you are lying.”
    “I’m not. I care for you deeply. You saved my life…and Ethan’s. And I can see how much you love this world.”
    His voice rose sharply. “Then why have you imprisoned me like this?”
    “Because if I didn’t, I’d lose Ethan forever. And my love for him is far greater than anything I could ever feel for you.”
    These words cut into him deeply. “So you would rather die – you would rather see everyone die – just to have Ethan with you instead of me? Because that’s what will happen. You cannot defeat Shinzan. Not without my help.”
    “That is a chance I'm willing to take.”
    “Then you are a selfish child,” he retorted, hotly. “How I could have seen in you anything other than that is beyond my understanding.”
    “Yes,” she admitted. “I am selfish. But so are you. You could have passed on the knowledge we need. But you decided to steal Ethan’s body instead. You still can’t get over