Page 11 of The Horde King of Shadow

“Your people have seen it before. The last was two centuries ago. It wiped out an entire race on your planet…I wonder what it would do to your glittering city?”

“Impossible,” Dannik breathed. But except for him, no one moved.

Horror rooted me into place.

I saw Sarkin’s lips curl into a devastating grin. “You will learn to fear us. And only then can we come to understand one another, Dakkari.”

It happened quickly.

Sarkin’s eyes cut to mine, studying me again.

“Zari,ethrall,” he commanded.

Behind Sarkin’s line of riders, Zaridan reared back, the scales on her chest glittering as she inhaled deeply, the gust of wind she sucked in whipping my hair around my face. I didn’t understand…until I watched a silent roar, her jaws wide, razor black fangs exposed.

The red mist that streamed out of her crashed into the clearing like violent waves against a sea cliff.

“Klara!” I heard Dannik’s call, but I couldn’t see him. I was frozen into place as red fog trapped us, streaming around us like a river, one with no end. I heard Lakkis’s scream, her cry of horror. I heard a cacophony of voices rise up into the air, the panic and confusion and then the despair ofrealization. Of swords unsheathing, metal ringing, like they had a chance againstthis.

We hadn’t known what power these Karag possessed…and now we did.

The Elthika could create the red fog that had nearly destroyed our entire race two hundred years ago. The red fog my own ancestors had fought to defeat…and it had nearly killed them in the process.

All I saw was bloodred around me. I’d often wondered what it felt like, what it had been like. It was just as horrifying as I’d imagined.

Dannik was calling for me…but it was like another realm. I was lost. I could wander for centuries and never be found here. But the fog was weaving into my lungs. Apoison.

Then behind me, his voice came.

“Are you afraid,aralye?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Good,” he said, stepping in front of me. I could make out his face in the mist, the only face I could see, and suddenly he felt like an unyielding pillar as chaos erupted around us. “Since your father will not answer, I will give you the same choice I gave him.”

“Please stop this,” I pleaded, thinking about Dannik. My sisters. No one knew how long the red fog took to poison the body. Some succumbed to it in moments, others days. I didn’t want to take the risk. “Please!”

“The heartstone or you. Make your choice.”

“Me,” I cried out immediately. “I will go with you! Stop this!”

Sarkin called out, “Faryn.”

Another gust came. I blinked and before my eyes, the red fog disappeared in an instant. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw the loose swords hanging from the guards’ grip, I saw my father slowly rising from the ground and Dannik with rage in his eyes, pinned on Sarkin. Lakkis’s sobs filled the quiet as her mother tried to calm her. My stepmother’s jaw was set tight though she seemed less shaken than anyone. I’d always admired that about her—her ability to weather any storm and still remain steadfast. It was one of the reasons my father had made her his queen, though he’d loved another at the time.

“Klara,” Dannik said. “Nik.”

“I’ll go with you,” I repeated, forcing my gaze away from my brother’s eyes.

“With one condition,” came Sarkin’s voice, oddly detached, as his arm clamped down on my forearm, pulling me forward. Ihad hardly caught my breath as he said, “Zaridan must approve of you first.”

My feet stumbled underneath me as we broke through the line of riders at the edge of the clearing, who parted for us. And then Sarkin pushed me forward and I skittered to a halt before his dragon.

My breath whooshed from my lungs as her low rumble of a growl met my ears. I slowly craned my neck back to meet her eyes, and time seemed to stop. Her power was awe inspiring…and I knew, with utmost certainty, that she could kill me in an instant. In the gleam of her black scales, I could almost make out my reflection.

“If she doesn’t kill you where you stand, you will live,” came Sarkin’s voice, soft as silk though it nipped at my spine like the edge of a blade. A chorus of low laughs came from his riders.

Zaridan slowly lowered her head until our eyes were nearly level. I could smell her—earthy like the wildlands after a storm. Of underground rivers in deep caverns and of damp, black soil. Her horned head was five times as large as my entire body, and when she exhaled a warm huff, my hair blew back from my face, exposing my scar.

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