Page 128 of The Horde King of Shadow

It was important to Klara, however, and for that reason alone, the Karag would be monitoring the Dakkari progress on that front, ensuring that the agreements were met.

And in exchange on the Karag’s part, for the heartstones were growing in Dakkari soil, we would allow a small population—warriors, mostly, though Klara had also requested scholars—to live among the Karag. They could enter rider instruction if they so wished, choose to take part in theilla’roshif they passed training, and claim an Elthika of their own. We would let the Elthika decide on their riders, as it had always been.

The territories of Sarroth and Grym—on Alaryk’s agreement—would be the first territories to accept new citizens from Dakkar. With time, however, it might extend into Elysom, Elarin, and Kyloth.

If the Dakkari wanted to bond with an Elthika…they would have to earn the right.

Today marked the first day of our accords, and it would begin with uprooting the heartstones.

Klara took a deep breath. She whispered to me, “What if they’re not there?”

I almost chuckled. Was this what she worried about?

“What if I made a terrible mistake and we negotiated for nearly a week for nothing?”

My hand drifted to her hip. Truthfully, I couldn’t wait to get her back home to Sarroth. I couldn’t wait to have her inourbed, to show her the territory that was now hers, where we would spend over half the year when we weren’t at the mountain village in the Arsadia.

I couldn’t wait to have her all to myself, at least for a little while. Idreamedof mornings where we could spend lazy moments, taking our time to get out of our bed. Where we would just be with each other.

But duty came first. At least for now.

“They’ll be there,” I said, leaning down to murmur into her ear as we watched the chains being tightened by the guards.

In a small clearing close by, just large enough for her to land, Zaridan waited. The chains were attached to her harness, and she would be the one whose power and strength uprooted the tree.

“How do youknow?” she asked.

I gazed into my wife’s beautiful gray eyes, tipping up her chin. The color of them reminded of the fog that flowed over Sarroth on misty mornings, calming and peaceful. Slowly, I said, “Because you said they were. And I believe you. It’s as simple as that.”

She blew out a small breath and tried to hide her pleased smile and the flush that colored the tops of her cheekbones. She was so lovely sometimes, it hurt.

I pressed a small kiss to the scar that curved over the side of her face and then turned my attention back to the tree. She went quiet, but I could tell that her mind was racing.

“The past intertwines here,” she whispered. A shiver traced gently down my back. “It’s all around us. We just have to listen for it.I hear it.”

“You’re thinking of your ancestor, Vienne?”

She nodded. “It saddens me to watch this, even though I know it’s for the best. Because this tree once saved her life and the life of her husband, her horde king. It gifted her the heartstone that gave her the power to save her people. There is history here. And it wouldn’t surprise me if the last people to lay eyes on this tree had been Vienne and Davik of Rath Drokka,” she said. “There’s something…awe inspiring about that. Magnificent and humbling. Like our past is closer than we ever imagined. Not separated by centuries, but rather like a bridge. A bridge to that past…and it’s right here.”

I was in love with the way her mind worked because she thought so differently from me. She saw beauty in places where I’d never even thought to look. She found art in the folds of this life, where I had only ever seen duty and necessity.

“Sometimes you have to destroy in order to create,aralye,” I told her, squeezing her hip, pulling her closer to me. “Don’t be saddened by this. Your ancestors gave us this gift. You knew where this place was, you knew the stories passed down your bloodlines of this specific tree. That wasnotan accident. That was fate. All of this information is just pieces of torn parchment. Pieced back together and rearranged so you can see the entire story. Because of your bloodlines, both of our people have another chance. This might be the lastthalaratree in existence, and you knew exactly where to find it. That’s magicandhistory. Perhaps they are the same thing.”

Klara looked up at me with parted lips as she absorbed the words. “I love that thought,” she said.

Just then, Feranos, next to one of the Dakkari guards, called out, “Attached. We’re ready,Karath.”

My eyes met Dannik’s from across the way. He inclined his head.

“Zaridan,” I called out.

I couldn’t see her because the Ancient Groves was a thick, overgrown forest, but I could sense her presence. I felt the ground shake when she stomped.

“Thryn’ar!” I commanded. The flying command.

A roar shook the trees as my Elthika jolted into flight. She knew to go slowly…but it only took her mere moments to uproot an ancient tree.

“Faryn,” I ordered.Stop.

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