Page 50 of The Horde King of Shadow

“Oh,” Klara whispered. “So there’s a chance that she might not approve of us?”

“Yes,” I told her.

“Let’s find out, then,” she said, turning her eyes up to meet mine. “Lysi?”

I knew that word meantyesin her old Dakkari language. I felt my lips tug up, but I fought to keep my expression neutral.

“Lysi,” I said softly, crouching to scoop up some of the water in the sacred pool, using the curve of Zaridan’s scale like a shallow bowl.

When I rose, I saw that Klara’s eyes were on the water between us, watching as the remnants of Zari’s blood mixed within. She would be part of Klara now, no matter the outcome of this.

“Whatever the blessing is,aralye,” I began, seeing her eyelashes flutter as her eyes flicked up to me, “do not fight it. Whatever she gives us, we must see through.”

She nodded. The chamber felt like it was one giant heartbeat, throbbing in time with mine, with Klara’s. The energy and heat of the heartstones was a distraction, the magic trailing up my skin like a touch, weaving into my lungs with every breath I took.

I brought the scale up to my lips first, holding her gaze as I took the first drink. The water was pure and crisp, icy cold. I held it out for Klara. After a slow inhale, she nodded, as if to herself,and her lips met the edge of Zaridan’s scale. I slowly tipped it back until she drank the remainder, then I threw Zaridan’s scale into the pool. The final offering.

We waited. And waited. I could hear when Feranos shifted on his feet in the darkness of the stairwell, ever patient.

“I—I don’t feel anything,” she said finally, frowning. “Do you think it worked?”

Then the air in the temple seemed to heat, like a fire had been lit.

No, not in the temple, I realized a moment later. Inme.

At first, as heat seared me, I thought that perhaps Lisharahadrejected our mate bonding. Perhaps she had rejected us and given us sickness instead, a fire raging through us as punishment.

Only, as my heartbeat began to throb in my throat and Klara’s cheeks went flushed, a wildness in her eyes as she slowly started to realize what was happening too…I knew it wasn’t sickness.

Lishara had given us a blessing.

Only…it was one of desire.

I stumbled over to one of the pillars, pressing my hands against it as lust and need ripped through my body, otherworldly and oppressive. I nearly bellowed with it. I breathed deep and ragged, resting my forehead against the cool stone. Its touch feltgood, though it did nothing to help calm the storm within me.

Dammit,I cursed silently. This wasn’t meant to happen. This was—nearly—the last thing I had ever expected.

I couldsmellKlara. I could smell her tantalizing and lush arousal bloom within the small chamber, mingled with the cool, earthy dampness of the temple. It was dizzying.

Fuck. I hated magic.Detestedit because it only proved how out of control one could be in their own destiny.

My earlier words came back to haunt me.Whatever the blessing is,aralye,do not fight it.Whatever she gives us, we must see through.

“Sarkin,” came Klara’s gasp, more of a mew. A plea.

Andfuck me, it was needy and full of want. My cock thickened in such a rush it was almost painful. Every throb of my heart, every breath I took of her arousal burned in my belly. Blood rushed, pounding in my ears until it was all I could hear.

“Feranos,” I growled. “Leave us! Now!”

Chapter 19

KLARA

What is happening?I thought, feeling my core throb and heat as want and desire rode me hard.

I heard Feranos’s quick retreat from the stairwell and knew that Sarkin and I were alone in Lishara’s temple.

“Sarkin,” I cried as a wave of punishing lust rippled through my body, leaving my knees shaky and me panting. The trigger had flipped in me so quickly it was frightening.

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