TheVorakkargrowled, “Pyroth!”
I had the distinct impression that thepyrokitossed its head to signal its displeasure.
The Mad Horde King mumbled something in Dakkari, watching as the guards finally sprang into action and began opening the gates. It didn’t take long and once thepyrokisaw the road cleared in front of us, it started to run again, though not quite the jarring full-sprint it had done before.
Craning my neck behind me, I watched the walled city begin to fall away. Before us, theDothikkar’spaved road was lined with towering trees and the forests beyond them looked dark and sinister. But they blurred by as thepyrokiincreased its pace.
TheVorakkarbegan laughing and I tensed at the foreign, husky sound.
“What?” I asked, gritting my teeth when my rump landed painfully on thepyroki’sscaled back.
“She does not like you,” he told me once his laugh faded away. “I have never seen her so displeased about anything.”
She?
“I gathered that for myself,” I murmured, wincing when I landed hard again.
I prayed that wherever our destination was, it was close by. I’d been on thepyroki’sback for mere moments and already, I felt pain blooming.
“Livri,” theVorakkarsaid next and all at once thepyrokigentled its sprint, slowing down to a trot.
I almost sighed in relief. And then I committed the word to memory.Livri.
When I shifted, my backside brushed his groin again and I sucked in a breath, leaning forward. When I rested my hands on thepyroki’sthick neck, hanging on, it flung its head backwards and I cried out, losing my grip and falling back into theVorakkar’schest.
My heart was thundering but I righted myself immediately. All right, so thepyrokididn’t want me to touch her. Fair enough.
It seemed thepyrokiwas just as prickly as its master.
“Will you tell me where we are going now?” I asked instead. I’d asked before we’d left theDothikkar’skeep but all theVorakkarhad said in reply was that the heartstone we sought was not in the city.
“To my horde,” he said.
I jolted. “What? Why?”
Dread coiled in my stomach. My gut had told me something wasn’t right and I should’ve listened to it.
Never look a gift horse in the mouth?
I should have.
I was running out of time. Every day I was away from the Dead Mountain…the poison in my blood grew thicker and thicker. We didn’t have time to gallivant around Dakkar.Ididn’t have time.
“No, please, just…” I shook my head, my throat growing tight. “Please, I need to get the heartstone and quickly.”
TheVorakkardidn’t say anything. Not at first, and I felt familiar desperation claw its way up my throat.
“Tell me one thing about you,” he finally said, “and I will tell you a story. About why we must go to my horde first.”
From behind, he pulled my hood away and it tumbled around my shoulders. Cool air threaded through my hair and it feltgood.
A story?
“You know I cannot say anything about Lozza,” I told him. “Or the Ghertun.”
“Then tell me how you came to be in their possession,” he murmured, his voice low, almost like a purr, like he was weaving a spell around me. I stiffened when his hand dipped up the back of my cloak, until his hand curled around my hip. His palm was hot. I felt it even through the thickened material of my tunic.
“I—” I started. “I don’t…”
