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But you’re realistic—and you know there’s no way you’ll be able to conquer a dragon and all of the Venatori around you while the dragon is still obeying someone else’s orders. So while you, Tarquin, and Ashur focus on keeping the dragon busy (and everyone in one piece), Dorian gets to play his favorite game: spot the evil Venatori blood mage.

Honestly, as you lunge back and forth, taunting the dragon and doing your best to hack at the soft underside of its neck, you envy Dorian. Next time, you want the easy job.

In the end, it’s not even Dorian who spots the mage commanding the dragon—it’s Tarquin who sees her, blood-wetted palms held high, muttering to the dragon as strands of scarlet magic snake their way around her wrists and down her arms.

“It’s her!” he yells out, hoping Dorian can hear him. “The one with all the…”

But Dorian has caught on—which is good, because the one with all the red isn’t exactly helpful when it comes to Venatori. One distracting shout and a well-aimed lightning bolt later, the mage is no longer a problem.

If only you could say the same about the dragon.

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