Captain of the Sand

Duty requires him to protect his people and eliminate the enemy, but love has other plans. Captain Halem was only a boy when the Breakers invaded Berush, but he has harbored hatred for them ever since. They are his enemies—enemies he has trained his entire career to defeat. When a company of Breakers ambushes him at a spring, he wreaks vengeance without hesitation until a fiery warrior with midnight eyes faints at his feet. Tasked with a dangerous mission, Obsidian must succeed, no matter the cost. As a member of a mercenary tribe, death would be preferable to failing to fulfill a contract. Injured and alone, she perseveres, but a stubborn Berushese soldier stands in her way. Near death when he finds her, Halem must choose to help Obsidian or lose the only chance he has to discover the Breakers' plans. Barely able to communicate due to their language barrier, her blatant pragmatism and his rigid views of honor make clashes inevitable. Can two people from such different backgrounds ever reach an accord, or will their opposing loyalties require the ultimate sacrifice? Surrounded by lies, treachery, and murder, Obsidian and Halem must decide who they can trust, or they will lose everything. Meanwhile, the Breaker army ravages the plains, depleting the natural resources and leaving destruction in their wake. Chysh and Van prepare the tribes of the Great Desert for battle with small hope of success. To avoid a devastating war, Chysh offers the Breakers a challenge, but it may cost him more than he wants to pay. When faced with a hard decision, will he slip into his old ways or will his limited Magi training guide him to the right path? Find out in Captain of the Sand. CW: medieval violence, amputation, off-screen torture, discussion of abstinence and sexual identity (not explicit), innuendo, low-spice fade-to-black romance, references to slavery