His brow rose but he inclined his head.
“I will monitor the wound closely,Vorakkar.”
I spoke soft words of praise into mypyroki’sear and then patted her neck before I unfastened the travel sacks from her flank. “Feed her well tonight.”
Themrikroinclined his head and then led her away.
Turning back to Vienne, I said, “Come,kalles.”
“Where are we going?” she asked quietly, falling into step beside me, though I had to shorten my strides to accommodate her.
“To myvoliki,” I murmured, pressing my claws to her lower back, nodding at the domed tent that came into view.
She stiffened when she saw it but her steps didn’t falter.
I barely suppressed my smirk.Bravekalles, I thought.
I might justneedto have a taste of her tonight.
Ducking through the flapped entrance, I narrowed my gaze, scanning the quiet stillness of it. My eyes flickered to the darkened shadows, half-expecting to see the face of my dead sister lingering there…or the faces of those I’d killed…or the faces of those I’d never even seen in my lifetime.
But the shadows were quiet this night.
Satisfied, I pulled the female through, her palm soft in my rough grip.
I left her standing in the entrance as I made my way around to the raised basin, sparking a fire quickly to warm the cool darkness.
Outside I heard the trudge of footsteps and before I could move her away, I heard her surprised squeak as the flaps hit her backside. She scurried away, moving to the side, as two males brought in the washing tub and more followed with steaming buckets of water.
As they filled it, an older female named Arinu brought in a large tray covered with food, setting it down on the low table.
I groaned, the scent of smoky braisedwrissanfilling the tent.
“You have outdone your last batch,nevretam,” I murmured at Arinu.
Her features flushed in pleasure and she patted my arm. “You do not know that. You have not tasted it yet.”
I stole a chunk of thewrissan, throwing it into my mouth before she could protest.
“Lysi,” I growled softly, the meat quickly melting in my mouth, flavor exploding on my tongue. “Your best yet.”
“Only because you have been eating dried rations and the slop from theDothikkar’s bikku. Anything will taste good to you,Vorakkar,” she said. She was the best cook in all the hordes, yet she would never take praise or compliments for her skill. She saw it as her duty, as her honor, to feed us all…and to feed us well.
“Is this the last of thewrissan?” I asked, pleased that it had lasted us this long.
“Lysi. I saved it for you since I know how much you enjoy it.”
“Kakkira vor,” I murmured. Though Arinu didn’t meet my eyes, she inclined her head before her gaze strayed to the frozenvekkirinext to my weapons rack.
Arinu held out a hand for her. “Come, come, little one. Come eat. You must be hungry,” the female said.
“She does not speak much Dakkari,” I informed Arinu.
“Yet, she knows what I said,” the older female returned because Vienne slowly peeled herself away from the wall. My white-hairedkallesapproached her, reaching forward to take her strong, wrinkled hand. Arinu led her to the table and gestured for her to sit.
Vienne looked up at me, then to Arinu. She gave the older female a small, wavering smile, and whispered, “Kakkira vor.”
Arinu’s head tilted. She looked at Vienne but addressed me as she commented, “I thought you said she did not speak Dakkari.”
