Crossing the threshold into the Wastes felt like coming home. Kerrigan had spent countless hours here. She hadn’t realized she’d missed it.

Kerrigan kept her cloak hood up as she headed toward Dozan’s private residence at the top of the Wastes. He lived and worked from on high. No one could be higher than the King of the Wastes.

“I’m here to see Dozan,” she told a guard.

He grunted, “He’s not taking visitors.”

“Tell him Red is here, and he’ll see me.”

The guard’s eyes bulged. “Red? The fighter?”

“Indeed.”

“Man, I’m a huge fan.”

Kerrigan laughed. She had fans. It was beyond surreal.

“Miss seeing you in the Dragon Ring.”

Kerrigan missed it too. But that time was behind her. “So, can I see Dozan?”

“Yeah. Let me introduce you,” he said, stalking up the stairs ahead of her. He knocked on the door, “Boss, Red is here.”

An audible sigh on the other side of the door. “Let her in.”

Kerrigan pushed past the guard and entered the dimly lit space. Dozan Rook sat behind his enormous mahogany desk and stared down at a set of throwing knives in front of him. Kerrigan had only made it two steps inside when one of those knives was poised at her throat as someone grasped her from behind.

“Red is a clever moniker,” a woman rasped behind her. “I believe you owe me a debt.”

Dozan didn’t even look up. “Clare, release her.”

“I told her the next time I saw her, I’d kill her,” Clare Rahllins crooned.

This was easily one of the last people Kerrigan wanted to meet in Dozan’s office. During the tournament, she and Fordham had infiltrated Clare Rahllins’ weapons deal when they were trying to figure out who had killed Lyam. It ended up being Basem all along, and Clare was caught in the cross fire. After Clare’s men finished torturing Kerrigan and Fordham, Kerrigan had managed to free them by using her spirit magic, and they’d walked away unscathed.

Kerrigan reached for calm. The last thing she needed was to black out right now in front of both of them. “Release me.”

“You deserve this,” she spat.

Dozan finally lifted his head. His eyes were narrowed, and his mouth twisted into a smirk. “If you damage her, Clare, then you will pay for it in pounds.”

Clare gritted her teeth and then shoved Kerrigan away. “Fine. What is she doing here?”

Kerrigan clutched at the small trickle of blood that ran down her neck. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“I’m glad that you’re here, Kerrigan. It saves me the trip of sending Clover to retrieve you.”

“For what?”

“Clare has generously agreed to help me find evidence about where Basem’s magical artifacts were being delivered to,” Dozan said, steepling his fingers.

“What does it matter?” she asked.