“Lysi.”
“And though you have his horde under your power, you still want him back?” I questioned.
Thepujerakstilled, though he’d taken another step forward. I didn’t know where the bitter question came from. Perhaps because I dreamt of Song last night, though it had been a restless sleep. And it made me remember how Benn had become our leader in the first place. It made me remember Jacob, driven from the people who had turned their backs on his father because offear.
“He is myVorakkar,” thepujerakreplied. “Rath Rowin ishishorde. It ishisblood. No one can replace him. I would never wish to.”
I…believed him.
We could learn a thing or two about loyalty from the Dakkari.
“Hanniva, kalles,” thepujeraksaid, his voice soft, though the barrier funneled it to me in a way that made it seem he was standing before me. “Bring him back to us. We will give you whatever you wish.”
“I want nothing from you,” I told him, feeling the barrier begin to waver. I was weak. I hadn’t eaten the night before, after all, and it had been weeks since I’d had a full night’s sleep. “But I vowed to your horde king that I would help him escape.”
“Neffar?” thepujerakrasped, his eyes narrowing on me, as if trying to determine if I spoke the truth or, perhaps, if I was trying to deceive him.
“Be here with your men during the nights. I cannot tell you what night exactly but it will be before the black moon. I will bring him to you. Here.”
My grip on the barrier was slipping. Behind thepujerak, I saw the first rays of the sunlight glowing on the mountain behind him.
The Dakkari male saw the fog begin to ripple.
“Wait,kalles, what—”
With a gasp, I waved my hand before me, the action helping me mentally slice through my weakening control. Between us, the fog swarmed the tunnel, rushing towards me. It blew back my hair once it reached me and all I saw was red. All I felt was bone-achingly tired.
There wasn’t a sound from the other side of the fog, though I thought I heard the hooves of apyrokistriking across the land. Perhaps thepujerakwas returning to the horde, to tell the others.
It was such a long walk back to the Dead Mountain. A part of me just wanted to curl up on the ground right there and sleep. Because I knew it would be uninterrupted. I knew I would be safe right there.
But I had work to do and so, on heavy legs, I slowly trudged my way back towards the others. I needed to figure out a way to get the key from Benn and I thought I knew of a way where that would be possible.
* * *
I should have known notto pass by the horde king’s cell when I returned from the outside. Only, I didn’t expect to see Benn standing out in the hallway, the door open behind him, speaking in a low tone with Jacques, that early in the morning.
I only saw Benn’s back and it was Jacques’ widening gaze that alerted the other male to my presence. It was too late to dart back into the stairway. Even if I had the time, I didn’t know if my legs would’ve cooperated.
Benn swung around, the horde king’s sword absent from his grip for once. He’d been carrying it around like a trophy, reminding others that he alone had possession of it.
The look on his face told me he was in a foul mood, his temper running hot. I wondered if he’d been trying to get a rise out of the horde king again and was failing miserably. My stomach twisted, wondering what fresh wounds would greet me this night when I went to him.
“Where were you?” Benn demanded, glowering at me as I approached, resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t be able to escape his notice today.
I didn’t answer him and I felt his irritation only rise. He grabbed my arm when I was near, his grip punishing enough that I knew it would leave a mark. But I didn’t make a sound and that seemed to frustrate him more.
“When I ask you a question, I expect you to answer,” he hissed. He was in a foul mood this morning. Dread began to build in my belly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jacques take a step forward until Benn threw him a dark look.
“Up-up…” I started. “Up-upper levels.”
“Why?” he growled.
“Couldn’t sleep,” I said in a rush, relieved when the words came out.
Benn turned his head towards the open door to the horde king’s room when he heard the chain rattle. I recognized the gleam in Benn’s eyes. The malice.
