“It’s beautiful, Seerin,” she said softly, looking down at it before meeting my eyes.
“Then it is perfect for you,rei thissie.”
She flushed, pleased with my words and my gift, touching the necklace.
I began to dress, aware that her eyes were on me the entire time. When I was done, I leaned down and pressed another kiss to her warm lips, lingering long enough to make me question my decision to leave that cold morning.
“Thank you,” she whispered between us.
With a growl, I pulled away.
“I will return to you later, starling.”
And with one last look, I forced myself to leave.
* * *
Later that evening,long after the sun had begun to sink behind theHitrimountains, I finally made my way to the council’svolikitowards the front of the encampment.
When I ducked inside, I found the elders, mypujerak, and my head warriors were already within.
Angled looks turned to me and one of the elders, who’d been speaking in a low tone, ceased abruptly when I appeared. I straightened to my full height and shrugged the pelt from my shoulders, hanging it near the entrance before studying my council.
A strange tension permeated the air, but one I’d grown more familiar with in the last month. This wasn’t the first time I’d caught them speaking in hushed tones prior to my arrival. And I knew that it couldn’t go on.
When I stepped up to the high table, I said quietly to all of them, “You must think I am a fool if you believe that I will tolerate whispered words behind my back. You must think me a fool, indeed.”
My head warrior, Ujak, shifted on his feet. Only Vodan met my eyes.
“Look me in my eyes and tell me,” I said, cutting my gaze to the elders, to the three that stood across the table. “I will not allow this to continue so we may as well discuss it now.”
No one spoke. When I looked to Vodan, his jaw ticked, but his eyes were knowing. They said,I already warned you this would happen.
The back of my neck tingled. I rasped, “Tell me what you were speaking of.Now.”
It was one of the elders who finally spoke.
“You intend to take thevekkirias yourMorakkari, do you not?”
My gaze narrowed on him, not liking the way he twisted the wordvekkirion his tongue, as though it was distasteful. My mother had done the same.
“The entire horde suspects that you will,” he continued. “You will make her yourMorakkaribefore the thaw, before we travel to the southlands. Is that not true?”
Claws digging into my palms, I met his gaze steadily, though I did not deny his words.
“We cannot forbid you from doing this,Vorakkar,” the elder next to him said. Slowly, he added, “However, we canstronglysuggest against it.”
I bristled at the tone in his voice.
“Neffar?” I asked quietly, drawing out the word slowly, meeting his eyes.
It was…a threat. A subtle one, but a threat nonetheless.
The third elder spoke, “Already, three families are planning to leave the horde once the thaw comes. Four unmated females and one of thebikkuhave also announced to thepujerakthat they intend to return toDothik, to await the next horde launch once theDothikkarselects his newestVorakkar.”
My gaze turned to Vodan and he at least had the decency to look away.
My head warrior spoke next, “Seven warriors have told me they will also detach from Rath Tuviri once the thaw comes. Unless…”
