I heard rustling and quick footsteps behind me. I heard the hiss of a blade and I spun around, my heart pounding in my chest,knowingthat something was wrong.
In disbelief, I saw two Ghertun hovering over the still bodies of my guards. They were on the ground, blood pooling from daggers sticking from their sides. The Ghertun had snuck up from behind. They’d never even had time to draw their swords.
My basket ofkuveridropped to the forest floor and I gasped, backing away, their slitted eyes directly on me.
“Hukan,” I said softly, swallowing past the lump in my throat, my eyes going to the daggers imbedded in my guards’ side. If only I could get to one. “We must—”
I turned around, only to find three more Ghertun standing behind Hukan. My eyes widened in alarm.
“Watch out!”
She didn’t move and avoided me when I reached for her.
The Ghertun didn’t make a move towards her.
“This is her?” one of them asked, that raspy, slithering voice making bumps break over my flesh.
“Lysi,” Hukan replied, her eyes cold, her jaw set. She turned from me, looking at the Ghertun over her shoulder. She wore an expression of disgust as she regarded him, her lips pressing together. “You said you would not kill the warriors.”
“H-Hukan,” I whispered in shock. Then anger enveloped me, rage that made my hands shake. She’d betrayed Arokan, betrayed me, betrayed the horde. And now two innocent Dakkari were dead because of it.
“Hurry and take her away,” Hukan snapped at them. “Before he realizes she is missing.”
Realization flooded me and without another moment of hesitation, I turned on my heel and tried to run.
Only to be caught by the two Ghertun that had killed my guards. I struggled in their arms, jabbing my elbows anywhere I could, trying to turn my head to bite them. All they did was let out a disgusting sound resembling a laugh.
“Remember our agreement,” Hukan said, her tone cold. “You never harm another member of the horde, never come close to our camp, or theVorakkaragain. Do you understand?”
“Yes, female,” one of them hissed, the leader. He approached me, brushing past Hukan. I smelled his rancid breath, felt the heat of it brush my cheek, as he said, “Our king will find her quite…amusing. An enemy horde king’s bride. We will be rewarded greatly.”
Hukan’s jaw clenched and she looked away from me.
And I realized there was only one thing left to do. I just prayed someone would hear me.
I dragged in a deep breath, about to scream as loud as I could.
“Arok—!”
The Ghertun’s fist struck out. I felt pain explode at my temple.
Then the world went dark.
Chapter Thirty-Three
When I woke next, I smelled smoke.
My head was throbbing but I tried to keep still, to assess the situation first.
I was lying on my side in a clearing. Still in the black vine forest, I realized, when I saw the jutting rocks, but I knew the forest was large. We could be anywhere inside.
My hands were tied in front of me with a rope, so tight that I couldn’t move my wrists. My feet were bound in the same way, but I noticed that the rope was thin. It wouldn’t take too much effort to cut, if only I could get a blade.
Behind me, I heard them. The Ghertun. I’d counted five before they’d knocked me out. Were there more now?
I heard one speak in their own tongue and I suppressed the shiver of revolt that went through me.
Suddenly, I was flipped over to my other side so that I was facing the small fire pit they’d constructed.
