Page 23 of The Horde King of Shadow

And what of the other dragon that haunted my dreams?

Sarkin stepped between us, and I felt like I could breathe again. He placed his hand on her wide snout, inspecting her eyes, turning her this way and that way like he was a concerned parent.

Then he murmured something in the Karag language, which sounded like beautiful, soft whispers, so unlike the harshness of the Dakkari tongue.

I watched the exchange, rapt and intrigued, though it felt oddly like spying.They’re bonded,I thought. What was that like? The Dakkari revered thepyrokis, our great, powerful creatures that rode across the wildlands with our hordes. But this felt different. This felt fated.

Sarkin ran a wide, calloused palm down her snout, raising his chin as he stepped back.

“Thryn’ar esh lyiss,” he said. “Sen endrassa.”

“Thryn’ar,” I whispered under my breath, studying the way Sarkin’s lips formed the words. He’d said that word before, and so I memorized it. “Esh lyiss.”

Zaridan pressed low to the ground, her muscles bunching, power in every small, minuscule movement. Then she launched herself into the sky, the gust in her wake nearly knocking me backward.

A pair of hands righted me, and I looked over my shoulder, startled, only to find Sarkin’s rider there. His dragon followed Zaridan, leaving the three of us standing near the back gate of the citadel.

He released me, then approached Sarkin, leaning forward to murmur something into his ear. I caught the way Sarkin’s mouth tightened briefly before he nodded.

Then the commotion came behind me—footsteps and chattering voices. My movements were limited given the stiffness of my limbs, but I still stepped back, seeing a small group of Karag approach.

They were all of differing ages—some old, some young. Some were dressed in rich purple or dark green robes, others were in more fitted clothing, dragon scales stitched into them like a plating of armor.

I could feel the burn of every one of their eyes, could feel the palpable tension in the clearing when they approached. I could feel them sizing me up, and one older female narrowed her eyes on Sarkin, Karag words tumbling from her lips.

Sarkin replied, his voice cold and unyielding.

Then her eyes snapped to me. In my language, she demanded, “You. Dakkari. What is it that you think you’re doing here?”

I didn’t react. With calm I didn’t feel, I replied simply, “I believe I’ve agreed to marry Sarkin Dirak’zar.”

A sound left Sarkin. All at once, the group erupted into chaos, and I took a step back in retreat, only to meet my future husband’s unyielding hand, pressing into my spine, holding me in place.

“Coward,” he rasped. A gasp left me, my back going ramrod straight as my neck turned sharply to regard him. Those swirling eyes were looking at the group, and I thought I caught a hint ofgleeful malice in his gaze. He liked to see them in disorder? Who were they? “Never run.”

“I wasn’t,” I gritted out. “I haven’t, have I?”

His eyes cut to mine. “No. You haven’t, princess.”

“What is the meaning of this?” the older female demanded, stepping toward us. She was dressed in light purple robes that brushed the stone. “Sarkin. This is reckless, even for you.”

Sarkin’s thumb brushed up my spine. Once. Twice. I blinked quickly.

“I’m honored you traveled all the way from Elysom to meet my new bride,” Sarkin replied. “But you came in vain. We leave for the Arsadia at dawn.”

More travel?I thought in dismay, feeling my body painfully throb in response.

“On Muron, you will not,” she snapped. “Elysom has forbid this union until we can make contact with?—”

Sarkin stepped forward, blocking my view of her.

“I am aKarath,” he growled. “You donotchoose my wife. Or have you forgotten your place, Aunt?”

His…aunt?

“You stubborn bastard,” she said quietly, so quietly that I thought the rest of the group couldn’t hear. The words were meant only for Sarkin. “You couldn’t stand it, could you? You never liked to be told what to do. Byanyone.”

Behind her, I noticed a long tail sweep the stone. So the Karag did have tails…just like the full-blooded Dakkari. So why didn’t Sarkin? Or any of the riders I’d seen? My eyes swept to the group behind her. Most of them had tails as well, save for a handful.

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