“I—I thought you’d be with him,” I murmured.
“Nik,” he said, coming to my side. He lifted the cool cloth that the healer had left on my forehead and refreshed it in cool water before replacing it. “He left me in charge of the horde in his absence in case of…”
He trailed off but I knew what he meant.
“You think the Ghertun would attack while he is gone?”
“The horde is always weaker when itsVorakkaris gone,” thepujerakreplied. “And the Ghertun have eyes everywhere, it seems.”
“A part of me wishes they would come,” I told him, my voice sounding weak even to my own ears. “Maybe it would buy me more time.”
I wanted that time. To see him again. To see my family.
“Neffar? Time?”
“Nothing,” I whispered. My belly began to churn but I knew I had nothing to throw up. I closed my eyes, though even the darkness swam behind my lids. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that. Of course I hope they do not come.”
“Nik, what did you mean?”
There was an edge in his tone, one that made me open my eyes to look at him.
“Ghertun sometimes havevovicon them,” I told him. “If not the extracted poison, then the herb that they use to make it.”
Thepujerakstilled and I could see the way his eyes flickered, as if he was deep in thought.
“Why would they carry that on them?” he rasped.
“The Ghertun smoke it. It’s a drug to them. It relaxes them. But when it is crushed, and heated, and the oil is pressed from it,thatisvovic. Some Ghertun carry a vial, if they have slaves.”
Thepujerakstood from the edge of the bed suddenly. “Vok.”
My lips parted. I whispered, “What?”
“The…the scouting party. The ones we hunted down and killed. Not far from here. There were five of them. One of them might’ve had it.”
I blew out a breath, shaking my head. “Yes, but theVorakkarsaid he burned their bodies. It wouldn’t have survived fire.”
Thepujerak’sbreaths came fast.
“He orderedmeto burn them,kalles.”
I frowned at his tone, something about it making me try to push up from the furs. “What are you saying?”
“TheVorakkarwas angry when he ordered me to do that. I—I did not burn them. Kakkari would’ve been angered if we had,” he told me, his gaze finding mine.
“Then what did you do with the bodies?” I gasped out, hope beginning to rise in my breast.
“I buried them.”
I swallowed, feeling a wave of pain rise steadily with my increased heartbeat. I needed to calm down.
“They might’ve had a dose on them,” I hissed, realization striking me.
Thepujeraklooked at me with a widened gaze.
“Vok.”
“Where are they buried?”
