Honor's Price by Alexis Morgan Page A

your duties. Any questions?”
    â€œNo, Sire. I thank you for the honor. I will endeavor to not disappoint.”
    â€œSee that you don’t.”
    Kane recognized a dismissal when he heard one. He affixed the pin to his tunic. He bowed and let himself out.
    *   *   *
    Back out in the great hall, Kane schooled his features, making sure that none of his inner turmoil showed. His mission had been to get close enough to keep an eye on the duke, but being named captain of the guard was an unexpected development. What was behind the man’s decision? Kane had done nothing to earn such trust, so his reasons must be linked to the man’s hunger for Kane’s potential as a mage.
    He hated that he’d missed another opportunity to kill Keirthan. But considering how Keirthan’s servant hovered right outside the door, there was only a small chance Kane would’ve made it out of the building before anyone noticed the duke was dead. However, caution wasn’t what had stayed Kane’s hand.
    Until Captain Gideon and their allies solved the mystery of how to counter Keirthan’s magic, killing Keirthan by mundane means was too chancy. From what Kane could recall of his grandfather’s never-ending lectures, killing a blood mage could be tricky if not done properly. They could run the risk of unleashing all of Keirthan’s accrued power in a destructive maelstrom, killing the people the Damned were sworn to protect.
    Biding his time, though, wasn’t going to be easy. For now he needed to report back to Sergeant Markus. Kane allowed himself a small smile. The man wouldn’t be pleased to find out that Kane would now be making all the decisions concerning the duty roster. He’d known he and Markus weren’t likely destined to be friends, but he’d hoped to avoid becoming enemies until absolutely necessary.
    Kane started back toward the staircase, but Markus was no longer where he’d left him. It didn’t take long to spot him standing on the balcony at the top of the steps. Kane headed up to join him, still careful to maintain his calm facade. How the next few minutes unfolded would determine the tenor of his relationship with Markus, not to mention the other men who served under him.
    Markus leaned on the railing and stared down at the swirling mass of people on the floor below. “I see you survived your audience with the duke.”
    When he finally glanced in Kane’s direction, his eyes flared wide as he spotted the duke’s sigil pinned to Kane’s tunic. Markus immediately stood straighter, his shoulders back and his arms rigid at his sides.
    â€œI see congratulations are in order, Captain Kane.”
    There might have even been a spark of anger in his eyes, but if so, it quickly faded. That was all right. Why wouldn’t he be shocked by the turn of events? Kane certainly was.
    â€œThank you, Sergeant. The promotion is an honor, one I owe entirely to you.”
    That much was true. If Markus hadn’t interceded on Kane’s behalf, he might still be wandering the streets of the city looking for a way to insinuate himself into the duke’s household. He truly wished Keirthan hadn’t done this. Being an officer had immediately opened up a gulf between him and the other man, one that wouldn’t be easily crossed.
    Markus remained at attention. “What are your orders, sir?”
    Kane’s immediate options were limited when he still needed to learn the lay of the land. “You were going to show me around the keep. Let’s start with that, so I can familiarize myself with its layout. After that, we can review the duty rosters and discuss any concerns you have that have arisen since the death of the prior captain.”
    For the first time, the sergeant showed a spark of emotion along with a slight smirk. “That would becaptains, sir, not just one. We’ve lost at least three over the past few