Mirari studied me and then replied, “TheVorakkarwas to take you out among the horde, to present you.”
Present me.
I wondered what Kivan was doing at that moment. I’d never been away from him this long before. I had promised him that I would see him again, but I wondered…was that a promise I could keep?
How would he survive? Without my credits coming in from my seamstress work, would he be able to save enough to buy rations? We had a few ration packs saved, but that would only be enough for a couple weeks, if that.
Grief made my throat burn. I had always taken care of him, protected him. Now he was alone, likely an outcast in the village now for his reckless actions yesterday.
The tent flap slapped open and I sucked in a startled breath when the horde king ducked inside, tense anger written on his face. Behind him, I saw Lavi, though she stayed outside.
“Rothi kiv,piki,” he growled, his voice dark and ominous.
Mirari inclined her head and hurriedly scuttled out. I watched her leave, a sense of betrayal making my lips press together.
They’d ratted me out to the horde king. And he waspissed.
Chapter Six
“You refuse to eat,kalles?”
His voice was measured and controlled, but quiet in a way that sent alarm bells through my head.
I didn’t answer him.
And he didn’t like that.
The horde king stalked towards me in three angry strides. Though I was still kneeling on the cushion, I tipped my head back to look at him. I was still frightened of him, unsure what to make of him, whether he truly was the primitive brute I’d heard stories of or not, but I would never let that fear show.
Unlike yesterday, he was wearing nothing more than a draped cloth that attached to a wide, gold belt. His thick boots creaked when he crouched in front of me and I caught a glimpse of his cock, swaying underneath the loose cloth. He was still bare-chested, his wide cuffs flashing on his wrists.
“You,” he said quietly, “willeat now.”
“Why?” I hissed, just as quietly, back.
“You are malnourished,” he snarled. “I will not have you wasting away.”
“I will eat what my village eats, what my brother eats. Uranian Federation rations and nothing more.”
The horde king burst out with a Dakkari curse and his large hand flashed out, wrapping around the side of my neck, just over my collar. His strength was undeniable and I let out a small, surprised breath when he tilted my head back to look at him.
“You are a part of the horde now. You will eat what the horde eats!” he growled, those yellow eyes flashing. My temper was rising. Whenever I felt backed into a corner, I came out fighting.
“I willneverbe part of the horde.”
“You are!” he roared. “You will be mykassikari, I will fill your belly with my heirs, you will be my queen, andyou will eat whenItell you to!”
Sucking in a breath, anger pulsing through me, I hissed out, “Or elsewhat?”
Something dark came into his narrowed eyes. His hand flexed on my throat and he rasped, “If you refuse to eat, I will consider it a slight. I will return to your little village and do what I should have done last night. I will let Kakkari feast on your brother’s spilled blood as retribution.”
I froze. He was threatening me, using my brother’s life as leverage.
However, he would lose me if he took that course and for some reason…he wanted me. A horde king of the Dakkari wantedmeand I could use that to my advantage.
Narrowing my eyes, I called his bluff.
“Do it then,” I said softly, pressing my neck into his hand further, rising to my knees so that we were eye-level, ignoring the pain from riding thepyroki. The beads on my top swayed as I moved. The horde king stilled, his eyes flashing to my lips as I spoke, “But if you do, I swear on your goddess that I willnevereat again. I will die here and be reunited with my brother and mother in the afterlife.Nothingwould make me happier.”
