I closed my eyes, knowing I needed a full night of rest, though I didn’t remember the last time I’d had it.
“Davik.”
My eyes flashed open and I froze.
I listened, wondering if Iwasseeing things, hearing things again that weren’t there.
“Davik.”
A rough breath tore from my lungs.
Nik. No spirits this time.
It had come from Vienne.
Mynamewas on her lips, in her dreams…
It was a name she shouldnotknow. A name I hadn’t heard since my sister’s death. A name I had never given her, though she’d given meherson our first meeting.
My blood turned to ice in my veins. My temple pounded harder.
For the first time, I wondered if theDothikkarhad been right.
If this white-haired beautywasa sorceress…come to destroy us all.
“Davik!”
Chapter Twenty
“Davik!”she cried out. He could hear her voice but theungirain front of him was coiling to strike, tightening its thickly corded muscles.
Devina, his sister, was crying, tears streaked down her face. He could almost feel her fear but he would be brave for her.Lommawould be proud if he was brave. So would their father, though he was out on a hunt, and wouldn’t return to the horde for another week. It was his duty to protect his family.
Theungirahad come too close to the horde. TheVorakkarand a large portion of thedarukkars, his father included, were absent. Davik had found the slithering beast, who made its home burrowed in the ground, while they’d been out exploring.
Now, it was targeting them. His sister was in danger. He was in danger. The horde was too far away to call for help. All he had was a makeshift blade he’d crafted from sharp stone. It had taken him all week and he’d been excited to show his father when he returned.
“Davik!” Devina screamed when theungirastruck out fast, its fangs flashing black, coming towards him with lightning speed.
Determination made his mind go quiet. He knew fear, but he didn’t understand why it made others foolish. He never wanted to be foolish. He wanted to be adarukkar, like his father…and only the bravest and strongest of Dakkaricould be warriors.
At the last moment, Davik dropped to the ground, though theungira’ssingle talon, which had emerged from its long belly for its defense, slashed his side. Its strike cut him but with a small bellow, Davik plunged the stone blade into its belly, where his father said was the ‘hunting spot,’ hearing its hissing shriek in response.
As its black blood spilled over him, as the slithering beast died in a moment, falling on top of him…Davik grinned. He’d done it.
The world sounded muffled underneath theungira’sbulk. He felt a sharp pinch in his side, from where the beast had cut him. He felt tired. He wanted to close his eyes. It was hard to breathe under the weight of theungirabut he wanted to bring it back to the horde, to show his mother that he’d hunted it. That he was the youngest Dakkari to ever take down anungira.
“Davik,” Devina sobbed. He heard her on the other side. He sensed that she was pushing, pushing theungirawith all her might. Little grunts and tearful gasps followed. Davik had the odd thought that she would be angry with him.Lommahad just gifted Devina a new dress and now it would be blackened with blood.
Light burst in his vision and air filled his lungs. She’d done it! Devina had actually managed to push off theungirafrom where it had him pinned.
“You saved me,” she gasped, her identical eyes wide. He was older, even if it was only by a little bit of time. It was his duty to protect her. “You saved me, Davik.”
He was still gasping from being crushed under theungira’sweight, still covered in its blood…still grinning.
“Nik, you saved me,” he told his sister.
But that was how it was meant to be.
