The Horde King of Shadow (Hordes of the Elthika #1)

Chapter 42

KLARA

One thing I’d learned riding on the back of Lygath for nearly four days on end?

New harnesses took ages to break in.

That and the fact that my husband was a hoverer—literally—especially when it came to me. He kept Zaridan firmly behind us so he could keep me in his view at all times. Feranos had taken lead at the very front, flanked by Samryn, Alaryk’s bloodred Elthika.

Sarkin might’ve decided to accept Lygath’s presence within the Sarrothian horde and as my bonded. That didn’t mean he trusted him yet.

The relationship and bond with an Elthika was one established over years. Lygath and I were still getting used to one another. He didn’t know the basic flying commands I’d learned in instruction, and there hadn’t been enough time for any training before we’d left the Arsadia to make the long journey to Dakkar. Zaridan had communicated with her brother when necessary, allowing us to fly relatively smoothly. But the harness made him itchy, just as it rubbed against me in all the wrong places. He had some breaking in of his own to do.

But there were moments on our flight when Lygath seemed almost happy . When he caught sight of Zaridan, or when we happened to fly low over a place he’d never been before, his head swinging wildly to observe what he could. When we flew over Sarroth on our way farther south, he roared, as if he knew where his new home lay. Perhaps Zaridan had told him. The Elthikan language was impossible for us to replicate, and it was a great mystery still among the Karag. But they still communicated. Riding with Lygath, with his sister close by, they’d been talking .

And I’d been utterly fascinated to find that the other Elthika in our travel party seemed to eavesdrop every now and again, until Zaridan snapped her jaws and they floated farther away, chastised by the Vyrin.

There might always be mystery when it came to the Elthika. No matter how long the Karag had assimilated with them.

One other disadvantage for traveling for nearly four days without reprieve?

I missed Sarkin.

Though he was close, we couldn’t speak to one another mid-flight like our bonded Elthika could. Every now and then, he would quicken Zari’s pace so that we could fly side by side, as if he wanted to look at me, wanted to admire me. And every time, I grinned like a silly lovesick fool until he smirked and returned to his place behind Lygath.

When we camped at night, we cuddled close, separate from the others…but that was the only time we had before dawn would break.

Only a little while longer, I thought, my eyes on the peek of land that I could see in the distance.

All I’d seen was Drukkar’s Sea for the last day, every glittering, twinkling wave below us, the sea breeze refreshing though it made my hair a wild mess. Once, when I’d been younger, my uncle’s horde had stayed close to the coast in the South Lands. I’d woken to the briny air every morning and would walk along the cliffs with my mother, usually early if she’d had a dream.

The world had seemed too wide, so endless then when I’d looked across the sea.

Now I knew it was.

There was so much that I hadn’t seen. Even of Dakkar. Even more of Karak. And what lay beyond those seas?

My heart began to race when we passed over the shores of Dakkar. My heart raced as we flew over typography that I could trace in my sleep. And it never slowed, even with the hills of the West Lands under us, which gave way to forests and endless plains of the wildlands.

And when I saw Dothik come into view in the distance, I felt a strange pricking of excitement, acceptance, and grief.

Sarkin had listened to my advice when I’d told him we should send a messenger ahead of us, informing my father and his council of our arrival. There was always a possibility that the message would give them time to coordinate an offensive attack…but given what they’d seen of Zaridan’s ethrall , I didn’t think they would try. Sarkin had been right to frighten us with it. It ensured obedience, a demonstration of how much more powerful the Karag were.

But I hoped we could come to a peaceful negotiation. Especially if Dannik was present, especially if I could speak with him.

I couldn’t wait to see my brother. To let him know that I was safe. That I was happy. That he didn’t have to fear for me anymore because I knew he did.

And maybe one day, if the Dakkari and the Karag could reach a peace, he could come to Sarroth. To the Arsadia. There was so much I wanted to show him, so much I wanted to share of the fantastical things I’d experienced during my time in Karak.

Dothik’s sparkling turrets in the lowering sun shone like beacons. Just like when I’d left, I could see that the East Gate was open, that a group was gathered out on the wildlands, awaiting our arrival. There were about three dozen Dakkari waiting, the majority of them guards, though, thankfully, I saw no archers on the walls. Sarkin likely wouldn’t have let me land near the city gates if there had been.

Lygath didn’t land right away, like the others in the traveling party, which consisted of Sarkin’s kya’rassa , Alaryk Arn’dyne and his chosen commander from Grym, and two Elysom council members, luckily neither being Sarkin’s aunt, Kethra. He’d made that a stipulation in the agreement with Elysom.

I pounded my fist three times along Lygath’s side. Though we were still learning to fly with one another, Lygath began to circle downward at my command, eventually landing next to Zaridan.

My eyes immediately went to the group of Dakkari, the sense of familiarity overwhelming.

Dannik.

All the Dakkari were staring right at me when I tapped on Lygath’s wing. He extended it after a bit of fuss, and I descended, my legs feeling a little wobbly after my long flight.

“Klara,” Sarkin called out in warning, but my heart was about to burst out of my chest.

I grinned when my watery eyes met my brother’s, and the moment I reached the earth, I ran to him.

He was dressed so familiarly. A pressed black tunic, embroidered in golden thread in the swirling Dakkari style. Leather pants that had been well-worn from his long days at the training grounds. His long golden hair was pulled back from his face, the hilt of his sword peeking out from behind his back. The golden beads sung musically in his hair when we collided.

“Klara,” he rasped, his arms immediately coming around me. “You have a damn dragon.”

There was disbelief in his tone. I laughed. He smelled just as I remembered, like the soap that was sold in the marketplace. My fingers met the metal of his sword.

“I do,” I said. “I missed you so much, Dannik.”

I pressed a kiss to his cheek and pulled back to look at him. My brother’s face held a serious expression, eyes running over me, inspecting and cataloguing me.

“You’re all right?” he asked me, so quietly that I knew no one else would be able to hear us.

“More than all right,” I answered, knowing that my answer would be especially important to him.

His brow furrowed. His eyes flashed to the horde of Elthika, situated on the wildlands. Lygath was prowling closer to me, making the Dakkari guards a little skittish. Despite our bond being new, my Elthika would be driven to protect me, to watch over me and ensure that there were no threats against me.

Sarkin too, I thought, seeing my husband appear out of the corner of my eye, his hand coming to my lower back.

“I’m happy, Dannik,” I told him, my words laced with unspoken meaning as I looked deep into his golden eyes. I pressed my hand to Sarkin’s side. “My husband, Sarkin.”

“I remember,” Dannik said, eyeing the Karag male next to me, the edge of a glare in his eye.

Sarkin held my brother’s gaze. I nearly sighed at the posturing between the two males. “There is a lot we have to discuss.”

“ Lysi , there is,” Dannik agreed.

My gaze went beyond my brother, who’d been the only one of the Dakkari to approach us, stepping past the safety of the guards to come to me. I looked at my father, my stepmother. Alanis was here but not Lakkis, and she was looking at my Elthika behind me, brow furrowed. She’d probably never been so close to one.

My father was ever watchful. When I met his eyes, it pained me that there was little emotion there. No relief, no happiness. Just an empty stare as if I were a stranger. It hadn’t always been that way, but ever since my mother’s death in the North Lands, he’d grown more and more detached.

I wondered if it hurt him to look at me, considering I looked so much like her. He had loved her, deeply, once.

I took my brother’s hand, knowing that he was the future of Dakkar. He could turn my father’s head if needed. Not even Alanis could do that. And that boded well for all of us. Dannik was reasonable. I could make him understand what was at stake and how our negotiations could only help the Dakkari people.

I sensed the Karath of Grym close by. Observing closely. Listening. I saw my brother glance his way before his eyes went to his red Elthika behind him.

“Shall we?” Dannik asked, gesturing toward the East Gate.

“With conditions,” Sarkin said, keeping me in his hold. “My riders will make camp out here while we are in negotiations. No one goes near our Elthika. And if we see archers or guards approach, we will use ethrall to defend ourselves.”

Dannik’s lips pressed together. “I am not foolish enough to endanger the citizens of Dothik.”

“I am only ensuring the safety of my own people and our Elthika. I’m sure you understand,” Sarkin answered, ever patient. “And when it comes to my wife, I want a guard with her constantly while within the city.”

“You think one of our own would try to hurt her? She’s a princess of Dothik and my sister . I would kill any who try to hurt her.”

“Then we have that in common,” Sarkin replied.

I sighed. “I can watch out for myself in Dothik.”

Sarkin looked at me. “No. Guard with you at all times. I will not risk your safety. It’s not negotiable, Klara.”

I met his eyes. He was serious and wouldn’t relent. I saw that clearly, and it was not something I would argue with him about.

“Very well,” I said, squeezing his wrist.

Dannik was watching the exchange closely. Whatever he saw, he seemed… relieved ?

“You’ll stay at the palace?” he asked Sarkin. “We have rooms prepared.”

“I stay with my wife,” Sarkin answered. He gestured his hand toward the two Elysom council members and at Alaryk and his commander. “They can decide where they wish to sleep.”

Dannik inclined his head. “Then let’s get started. We have much to discuss.”

“That we can agree on, Dakkari,” Sarkin said.

It was going to be a long couple of days.