Page 27 of The Horde King of Shadow

I needed to know why I’d been seeing this dragon in my dreams for decades. It had tomeansomething, just like seeing Zaridan.

The forest gave way to an open cliffside. Beyond that was endless ocean, glittering in the moonlight, and I felt a flash of despair in my chest as I watched the silver-scaled dragon fly farther and farther away. Out of my reach. Again.

Before I reached the cliff, I heard,“Klara!”

All at once, the dream ended abruptly, falling away like a veil.

Wind was whipping my hair and exposed skin, cold and icy, the pain of my body returning in a dizzying rush. Below me was an endless drop down to Sarroth. It was pitch black, save for a sliver of a crescent moon overhead?—

“What are you doing?” Sarkin’s roar came from behind me. “Wake up, Klara!”

I gasped, feeling my feet slip on the edge of a cliff when I turned to the voice. For one breathless moment, I met Sarkin’s wild gaze as he sprinted to reach me…

But then I was tumbling over the edge.

My scream was silent as I scrambled violently, thrashing my limbs and arms, trying to find purchase on anything. I managed to grip the ledge of a rock, my palm splitting over a rough edge, accompanied by a piercing stab at my side.

Animal sounds escaped me, terror making me gasp, trying to find air.

A dragon’s roar reverberated against the mountain, and I felt the rush of wind. Zaridan?

Sarkin’s appeared, reaching down for my hand.

“Take it!” he demanded.

But my bloodied grip was slippery. I felt it slide.

“Klara!”

Then I was falling.

Chapter 11

SARKIN

I didn’t hesitate. Hesitation got someone killed more times than not. And I wouldn’t allow Klara to be one of them.

I dove off the cliff after her. I trusted in Zaridan’s positioning, but Klara wasn’t skilled enough to be able to mount an Elthika in midair. It was a maneuver that took new riders years to master, and dozens had died in the process.

The drop down the cliffside to the base of the mountain wasn’t long, and I didn’t have much time to catch her. She was flailing in midair, a silent scream on her lips. I tightened my limbs close to my body to increase my speed, and when I was close enough, I saw the wild panic in her eyes.

Our bodies crashed into one another’s, and she scrambled to hold me. I gripped her so tightly that nothing would be able to pry her away, not even death.

“Brace,” I shouted, seeing Zaridan out of the corner of my eye, trying to match our speed as best as she could before beginning to angle underneath us.

She swooped. I held my breath, tightening my thighs.

And when we landed on her back, we landedhard. I acted quickly, moving Klara into place. She was gasping, the breathhad gotten knocked out of her, but I kept her pressed down on Zaridan’s back, locking my legs around her body and snagging the tethers.

I didn’t allow myself to feel relief until Zaridan guided us back to the citadel landing. She extended her wing, and I snagged Klara’s waist, feeling her tremble uncontrollably as I got us back onto solid ground.

The anger rose, hot and bright, but I kept it masked, especially when I saw the wetness of her cheeks.

“Fool,” I rasped, but I didn’t think the harsh word was directed at her. She was completely naked, but I swept her up into my arms because I knew she would collapse if she tried to walk. Her hand was bloody and a long gash was along her right abdomen.

I strode into the citadel, quiet and dark at this time of night. Marching up the left staircase, I took us to the highest floor, my private wing, and kicked open the door to my quarters.

The blue fire was still burning in the hearth. I sat her on the table, disentangling her hands where she held me tight.

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