Whathadhe been through? What had he needed to endure in his lifetime to be where he was now?
For the first time, I wondered how the horde kings were selected. I’d always assumed it was through bloodlines, but perhaps not.
“Go,kalles,” he murmured quietly.
A moment later, Tess threw a blanket in my lap and backed away quickly, eyeing the horde king’s tail with trepidation. Now that there was light, I looked at his wound. It was towards the end of his tail and it wasstillbleeding. A small pool of black blood had formed underneath it and I watched the end twitch, sending a small spray of it to the left.
“Go,” he said, his voice soft. “It will heal. Do not return this night,lysi?”
I knew he was right. Benn might be on thin ice with the others but I would be watched as well. Closely. Especially by Tess if her shrewd expression was anything to go by.
Still…the thought of him injured, alone in this room, in darkness, made my gut churn.
Soon, I thought.
He would be free soon.
He’d go back to his horde.
And it was very likely I’d never see him again.
I nodded and took a deep breath, though a dull ache in my ribs made me wince. I shifted and he uncurled his thighs from around me. Cold air rushed against the warm places of my flesh and I shivered as I wrapped the blanket around myself as quickly as I could, shielding my nakedness.
Rising on unsteady legs, I walked towards Tess, who held her hand out for me. I could feel the horde king’s gaze on my back and when I looked over my shoulder, those red eyes burned into mine.
There was something changed about him. Something…focused. It made awareness race up my spine and a familiar feeling tingle over my flesh.
I remembered him as I’d first seen him. Proud, grim, and strong. Even now, even chained, he was still all those things.
Jacques was lingering in the hallway but he shied away from my gaze as Tess shut and latched the door.
All he said was, “I’m sorry, Mina.”
A knot lodged in my throat. I didn’t say anything and Tess took my arm, leading me away.
“Benn told me to come get you,” Tess said. “He said youhithim, that you wentwild. What were you thinking, Mina?”
A laugh bubbled up in my throat, making Tess pause and turn to face me. “Is that what he told you?”
Tess swallowed. Her gaze flickered to the end of the hallway.
“I have done everything to protect you,” she whispered. “Things you don’t even know about. But I can’t protect you if you go against everything he wants.”
“Did you know,” I began, “that the Dakkari know how to defeat the fog? That priestesses are already on their way here?”
Tess paused, considering my words. But my stomach sank when she shook her head. “It’s smart, I’ll give him that.”
My brows furrowed.
“I told you not to be a fool,” Tess said.
She thought he was lying to me? To make me doubt?
I’d considered it. But in the end, I’d chosen to believe him.Somethingtold me to believe him.
“He struck me,” I told her, my voice trembling with my sudden anger. And by the way her gaze flashed, she knew I wasn’t talking about the horde king. “He kicked me. Hetouchedme. So maybeyoushouldn’t be the fool, Tess.”
For a moment, she looked dumbstruck. My words hit her. Hard.
