“It reminds me that you are perhaps as possessive of me as I am of you,” I told her gruffly, brushing my lips against hers for a brief moment before pulling away.
“You…you get jealous too?” she asked, the question innocent and bewildered.
I gave her a small grin. Leaning down to whisper in her ear, I told her, “Valavik offered to marry you, to keep you for the horde, instead of me.” Her outraged gasp met my ears. “I nearly bloodied him right there for merely suggesting it.”
Her gaze was slightly dazed when she leaned back. Her brow furrowed. “But…but that was before…thetassimara.”
I grunted, lifting a shoulder in a shrug.
“My council is meeting,” I murmured, swiftly changing the subject. “I’ve kept them too long already.”
She sighed, shaking her head a bit. “About the Dead Mountain?” she asked.
“Lysi,” I told her, running my thumb across her bottom lip. “Final preparations. We leave in two days.”
Her gasp met my back when I turned. My council’svolikiwas not far but I heard her running after me.
“Wait, Rowin,” she called. She used that name whenever we were within the horde. When we were alone, however, it was always Wrune orsailon…orsetovan, which always brought a grin to my face. Stubborn male. She enjoyed calling me that.
I let her catch up, though a few horde members we passed gave her peculiar looks when they saw her chasing after me. The road wound towards the training grounds but she grabbed my arm.
“So soon?” she asked, her eyes wide as she looked up at me.
“At first light,lysi,” I replied, frowning as I took in her expression. “I thought you’d be pleased. I was planning to tell you tonight.”
“I…Iam,” she said, though her face didn’t reveal that to me. “It’s just…”
“Neffar?” I murmured, bringing her closer when I saw concern flash in her eyes. “Tell me.”
“What happens if something goes wrong?” she asked, looking up at me. “What happens if one of yourdarukkarsgets injured or ifyouget hurt? Or…worse?”
Realization dawned and it was followed swiftly by a sudden sensation of warmth and affection.
Mina was worried for me. For thedarukkars.
“I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” she whispered. “Not for me.”
“You are their queen. They will do whatever you ask of them,” I reminded her. “It is their honor too.”
“I know,” she said. “And I’m sorry. I know you’ve been planning this. I guess it just took me by surprise to know that you will be leaving so soon. How long will you be gone?”
“It will take a few days to travel to the northern tunnels,” I informed her. “Possibly more if we need to take alternate routes. We do not know how much the fog has grown up north.Thespermessages from the horde that was close to there have ceased as of late.”
Though that fact wasn’t entirely alarming. It was theVorakkarof Rath Okkili that had been near there. And he’d been tasked with attempting to make contact with the priestesses of the north. Ifthespersfrom him had ceased, I assumed it was because he had moved forward with that plan.
Mina reached out to take my hand and I knew what she would say before she even said it.
“It will take a handful of moments, Wrune,” she whispered quietly, knowing no one would hear us. “Let me do it. Let me clear the way. That way, I can ensure that—”
“Nik,” I said, my jaw tightening. “I told you already. I forbid it. Not unless absolutely necessary and even then…”
My nostrils flared as I trailed off.
Softly, she said, “You made me your queen because I could help protect your horde.”
“Ourhorde,” I corrected gruffly, raising my brow, pressing my lips together tight.
And that was only one of the reasons I took you as my queen, despite what I tell others, I thought silently.
