"Where's Stryker?" I ask coldly, dropping into my seat at the head of the war room table. I look around; everyone's there except my surveillance guy.

"He said he was coming in from outside the wall, desert side. Was doing a quick perimeter check," Jorje tells me.

I nod absently. Stryker is vigilant when he's running guard duty. The men on the wall hate him, but nothing ever gets past. I wonder if Taran ever attempted the wall with Stryker on duty. Or if she knew better ...