Empire of Dust Read Free Page B

bang, she hits the wall, pulling him toward her. Only by quickly bracing his hands against the wall on either side of her head is Heph able to stop himself from crashing into her.
    Taking deep breaths to steady himself, he inhales Katerina’s sweet scent. It’s not the cloying perfume the other palace women wear, but something fresh and wholly of herself. He looks down and sees that she’s looking up at him from between his arms, her mouth open in surprise, her pink lips tantalizingly close to his.
    They stand there staring at each other; the air pulses between them. And suddenly, Heph knows: he’s going to lose control again.
    In a different way from the battlefield, but just as forbidden.
    He’s going to kiss her.
    And either she will be angry and run to tell Alex, or she will like it and...that will be even worse. Because when it comes to killing a man or kissing a girl, Heph is weak. His pride and desire are too strong.
    And he’s so tired of fighting his emotions. All he wants to do is surrender. From the way Kat tilts her head, her breath coming fast as she leans in, it seems she wants him to surrender, too. The temptation of someone who wants him, someone who sees the value in him, is too much.
    He bends closer to her—
    And just then, Alex bursts through the door, closely followed by General Kadmus.
    Heph hurls himself away from Kat as Alexander stares at them in bewilderment.
    â€œAlex!” Kat says a bit too loudly, pushing past Heph. “I was just looking for you. Buthos wants to put down a wounded horse even though I explicitly told him that the horse will survive.”
    â€œTell Buthos to do as you say, Katerina,” Alex says, nodding. “If he dismisses you, tell him he is free to come see me, but that he might not like what he hears.”
    Kat flashes a smile at Alex, then finally leaves Heph’s room, though her fresh scent continues to linger. Alex turns his unsettling eyes—one pale blue, the other dark brown—on Heph. “Kadmus,” he says, his gaze never leaving Heph, “would you oversee the northern wall? Please tell Captain Krisos I shall be there shortly.”
    â€œYes, my lord.” The general bows, and Heph can’t help but notice the many scars that crisscross his deeply tanned body, physical proof of his courage for all to see. An image flashes in front of him of Alex and Kadmus kicking their horses into a gallop as they ride east, toward Persia and the Fountain of Youth.
    Alexander waits until the door shuts behind Kadmus. “There’s a crowd of angry farmers saying that you left them with nothing,” he says, and Heph can hear the barely controlled irritation in his voice. “Why did you leave your post? Can’t you follow any instructions?”
    â€œI needed a break,” Heph says, forcing himself to meet Alex’s gaze. At least the moment with Katerina dissolved his earlier anger, draining him, leaving him empty—empty enough not to do something rash in front of Alex. “I have no idea who stole the olives and figs, the honey and amphorae.”
    Alex’s eyes take in the short sword hanging at Heph’s side. “And so you decided to go out for a ride and ignore your responsibilities? Can’t I even trust you with the simplest assignments? Is that too much to ask?”
    â€œWhy are you wasting me there when I could be training your men and organizing the city’s defenses?” Heph fires back. “You yourself said the Aesarian Lords might return with reinforcements. You know I can help you. I’m good at that—not handling whiny farmers!”
    Alex’s mouth becomes a hard line. “You know you’re banned from anything to do with the military until further notice. Kadmus is helping me with the defense.”
    â€œGive me another chance,” Heph demands.
    Alex shakes his head. “I can’t trust you, Heph. Not in war. You don’t follow