Tarkosh assessed me, her eyes narrowed. Then she smiled. I relaxed, but only briefly, because she then said, “And yet we are very different. We don’t believe in your Kakkari. We believe in our Elthika. And if you think that your little earthen beasts are anything like them, then you have much to learn.”
My smile died slowly. “What shall I call you?” I asked, not one to be defeated by words.
“By my name. What else?”
“In Dakkar, we address the masters with a title of respect, befitting their knowledge and experience.”
Tarkosh said, “But we aren’t in Dakkar, Amaia. Call me Tarkosh and nothing else.”
I swallowed, then forced a smile. “Tarkosh.”
“This is a Rythback,” she told me, changing the subject entirely, since our first meeting wasn’t going as smoothly as I’d hoped. “A species of Elthika that dominate the northwest of our homeland. His egg was found rejected by the mother. Whileyou’re here, you’ll likely be primarily handling Rythbacks. We have another ten in incubation currently.”
“Yes,” I said, glancing at Syris, who was standing back. “Syris explained that they tend to nest late?”
Tarkosh nodded, her lips pinching. “We expect another to hatch in the coming days. So be careful what you wish for. Rythbacks are menaces at this age. Today you can acquaint yourself with this one. Enjoy the reprieve while you can.”
With that, she walked past me.
“And where is Moak?” she asked Syris. “Ulin needs help with the nests.”
Syris’s voice squeaked as she said, “He’s in the washroom…he’ll be out shortly.”
I noticed she didn’t snitch on his guest, but I turned my attention to the hatchling that was scurrying around the courtyard. Not even my less than wonderful meeting with Tarkosh would deter my awed smile as I crouched down.
“Hello, little one,” I greeted when the hatchling approached me with wariness. Tarkosh had referred to it as a “he.” I wanted to know how to discern that for myself. Apyroki’ssex, to an untrained eye, was difficult to determine, but I could tell almost immediately at birth. The slant of a jaw, the width and breadth of the ribs, the angle of a limb as it tapered down into their claws, the distance between their tall ears and horns.
The hatchling snapped at my hand, and I bit back a smile, in case he thought I was baring my teeth like a predator. He grunted, a constant huffing sound, before he snapped again. I felt his teeth that time, dull and nearly painless.
I could feel Tarkosh watching me and figured this was a test. I couldn’t afford for her to write me off as a silly Dakkari fool.
I built up a little thimble of my heartstone magic, closing my eyes briefly as I imagined it shooting out of my fingertips, like warm currents of energy that would seep into the Elthika.
I could feel the hatchling’s curious wariness, the thunderousbeat of his heart against his ribs. I nearly gasped at the raw magic I felt flowing within the Elthika, so potent and surprising that it nearly brought tears pricking my eyes.
Awe channeled through me. I reached forward and felt the Elthika’s snout sniff at my hand.
The moment I felt him arch into my palm, I cut off the current, sealing it back inside me. I couldn’t afford to be exhausted by it, but I’d never connected with an Elthika before. Onlypyrokis. Only my family.
“We’ll be good friends,” I murmured, my eyelids lifting to watch the Rythback male nuzzle into my hand, as if seeking more of the warmth of my heartstone magic. “Won’t we?”
Footsteps approached behind me. Tarkosh peered down at me, her eyes flickering to the Elthika. Her gaze was assessing, puzzled. Maybe I could still make a good impression after all.
“It seems you aren’t afraid,” she said. “Good.”
I felt a little pleasure bloom inside me.
“But we’ll see if you last the day,” she finished.
Clearly I had my work cut out for me.
Chapter 7
ALARYK
Grymia lay nestled at the base of the Rykish, a mountain range that stretched southwest all the way to the Tharken cliffs. In the lowering afternoon sun, glass gleamed in house windows and the circular skylight of the hatchery glowed like a beacon home.
Only the Arsadia had never felt like home to me.
