The fiercest winged predator known in any world. They were said to be lethal whenever their nest was threatened. Territorial and vicious. But those rare few who’d domesticated them had claimed that no creature was more loyal or a better companion. None more intelligent.

“Is that why your Endurance is held here?” This was the sparn’s native lands.

“In part. But also because it was the Oksanans my family held back from enslaving our world. During Endurance, we’re to climb the tallest mountain on Oksana to retrieve a single sparn feather or bone to remind ourselves of the sacrifice our family made for our homeworld. To show our young that they can achieve any goal and climb any obstacle. And that no matter how high they ascend, there will always be family with them to catch them should they fall.”

But no one had caught him when he fell. He’d been left alone and then abandoned and ridiculed.

And she knew from Thia that Dancer hadn’t made it to the top before Keris had died. Instead, Dancer had learned that his family would turn on him if he wasn’t the son he was supposed to be.

In that moment, she realized it was why he fought the way he did. Like he was proving himself worthy to everyone.

Even himself.

She kissed his lips. “You are the strongest male I have ever known, Dancer. No one is more worthy of your noble lineage. You honor your family and your ancestors. And you are a treasure for Andaria. I know the first Dancer of the Warring Blood Clan of Hauk smiles whenever he looks down and sees the strength and beauty of his namesake.”

Hauk couldn’t breathe as those words echoed in his head. No one had ever made him feel like she did. Like he could do anything. Even fly. “I will not allow you to be harmed.”

“Nor I you.” She pulled out her knife and unwound the scarf from her head.

He didn’t understand what she was doing until she cut it in half and secured it around his face and head. It was how Andarions battled. They never exposed their faces to their enemies.

When she was finished, he returned the favor to her. He tied Illyse to make sure she wasn’t hurt. Then together, side by side, they headed to war.

CHAPTER 18

Hauk led the way into the building from the back part that had once served as crawlspace access. As silent as the akuma demon he’d been dubbed by Nykyrian years ago, he opened the tile that led from the crawlspace into the electrical room. He took a moment to make sure he was alone before he held his hand out to Sumi and pulled her up to squat beside him.