Janos Slynt nearly jumped out of his skin when the voice drifted in from outside his room.
His hand flew to his sword hilt. "Who's there? Show yourself!"
The two guards at his door didn't even blink. They simply opened it and let the hooded stranger walk right in like he owned the place.
The man pulled back his hood and smirked. "Your men really aren't very loyal, are they? But gold dragons fix that real quick. I slipped each of them a hundred and suddenly you're just a fat frog in their eyes."
"Who the fuck are you?" Janos snarled, sword half-drawn.
The stranger didn't answer right away. He strolled deeper into the room like it was his own. "Here's how we're going to teach them some loyalty. Tomorrow you announce extra pay. Tell every man to show up at the barracks without armor or weapons. You'll have your most trusted boys waiting. I think you can figure out the rest."
Janos's face went red. "You're out of your goddamn mind! I'm the Commander of the City Watch! I can have you arrested and hanged before sunrise!"
The man chuckled. "You're a butcher's son playing at being a lord. How the hell did a worm like you end up running the Gold Cloaks?"
He tapped his chest. "Name's Tough Guy. You can call me that."
Janos's eyes went wide. He spun toward his guards. "Lemon! Carpenter! Kill this bastard! Two hundred gold dragons if you do it now!"
The two men glanced at each other, then stayed exactly where they were.
Janos felt his stomach drop.
Paro walked in a second later, jerking his thumb toward the door. "Out."
Lemon and Carpenter left without a word.
Outside in the courtyard, dozens of hard-looking men and Gold Cloaks stood waiting in the dark. That was why the guards had chosen the player's coin over Janos's.
Janos swallowed hard. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He couldn't even beg. Not without sounding like a complete coward.
Tough Guy dropped into a chair, legs crossed, perfectly at home. "Let's talk, Commander."
Paro stood by the door, arms folded, watching with a tired, knowing look. He'd been on this ride before. Once you got on Tough Guy's ship, you never really got off.
Janos finally found his voice. "Talk about what?"
"About how you're going to serve the true king," Tough Guy said easily. "His Grace needs good men in the City Watch. Men who know when the wind is changing."
Janos's mind raced. He could agree now, then run straight to Cersei in the morning. Let the red priests burn these lunatics alive. The thought almost made him smile.
Tough Guy kept talking like he could read every filthy plan forming in Janos's head.
Moon-Fang stepped closer, spinning a glowing red iron poker in his fingers. The metal hissed softly every time it cut through the air.
Janos's eyes locked on it.
"I… I've always been loyal to the true king!" he blurted. "Long live House Targaryen! I've been waiting for this moment!"
Tough Guy grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "Good man. His Grace rewards loyalty."
Janos forced a smile, already imagining how he'd betray them tomorrow.
Then Moon-Fang handed the branding iron to Tough Guy.
Janos's smile died. "What… what the hell is that?"
"Welcome to the family," Tough Guy said, still smiling. "Every new brother gets a little something to remember who he serves."
Janos tried to back away. "No—no, that's not necessary, I already—"
The iron pressed against his chest.
Janos screamed.
The smell of burning flesh filled the room.
Daenerys finally let sleep take her.
She had lain stiff and awake for hours, back to her brother, cheeks still burning. She was Stormborn. Future queen. How had she turned into such a shy little girl?
Viserys slept deeply beside her, one arm draped over her waist like it belonged there.
In the hearth, the fire had long since died to ash.
The largest egg—the black one—shifted.
A single spark popped in the cold ashes.
Then another.
The shell trembled.