Page 37 of The Horde King of Shadow

“Levanth and I were involvedonce. When we were young, not old enough to know better, and never since. But I trust her with my life, just as I do with all those in thekya’rassa—my rider horde,” I told her. “Believe me or not. That is for you to decide. But do not accuse me on a whim when you know nothing about what I value.”

Klara held my eyes. She must have heard some truth in my words because she said quietly, “I’m sorry.”

“The Elthika,” I began, matter-of-factly, “mate for life, and so they choose carefully, if at all. They never stray from their bonded mates. It creates unnecessary division within a legacy. It is notromantic, Klara, so get that out of your mind. A mate bond is logical, bordering on cold, and it takes discipline. The Sarrothian believe what the Elthika believe, more than any other Karag might.”

Did I spy a flash of disappointment? “I didn’t know,” she said.

“Now you do,” I said simply, releasing her and stepping away.

I’d laid it out for her. I didn’t want her to think this would be a passionate, consuming union between us. Perhaps she had wanted a marriage like that. Perhaps she had wanted a love like in her precious history books, of theVorakkarof old and their mates…but she wouldn’t find it with me. I wouldn’t allow that. Love was a distraction and nothing more.

Better to disappoint her now so she knows exactly what she’s committing to before the Arsadia,I reasoned.

“Anything else you wish to address?”

She rubbed at her forearm as a cool breeze made her shiver. “How…how do you expect your people to ever accept me?”

I inhaled a slow breath. I shouldn’t have been surprised by her oddly vulnerable question. My chest even gave a little twist, my instincts telling me to comfort her. I’d watched her get rejected by numerous Sarrothian tonight.

“Klara,” I said, waiting until she met my eyes. I spied sadness there. Loneliness. And it made even more discomfort wiggle in my chest. “Don’t get discouraged by the horde. And tonight…you handled it better than I expected.”

She snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. “By slinking back to Zaridan?”

“Who presented you with hersy’ashaforallthe horde to hear,” I growled. She blinked and then looked over at my Elthika. “She honored you tonight, and she knew exactly what she was doing.”

“But why don’tyoudo that?” she asked. “If I’m to be your queen and you leave me so quickly to my own devices, as if you cannotwaitto get away from me, what image does that present to the Sarrothian?”

“Klara,” I bit out. “The horde valuesstrength. I’m doing you a favor, whether you see it or not. They need to see you standon your own. Theyneedto see that you are comfortable with Zaridan, that she respects you to obey your commands. And this is only the beginning.”

“You…you’ve been calculating out how they see me,” she realized softly. “You planned this. It was a test?”

“An opportunity,” I corrected. “I won’t lie to you. Youarean outsider, a Dakkari—who no one will trust because they know you are not loyal to me or to the Sarrothian.”

She opened her mouth, her brow furrowed.

“It’s the truth,” I rasped. “Because given the choice, this very moment, would you not turn your back and return to your true home? If I promised to release you from a marriage and no harm would come to your people? Wouldn’t you wish to be back in Dothik by tomorrow? We could leave right now.”

“You don’t know what I would choose,” she argued softly, and I stilled at the surprisinghonestyI heard in her voice. “There are many reasons for me to be here, and some of them don’t concern you at all. Or your people.”

“That may be the case, but it proves my point. None of your reasons are out of loyalty.”

She didn’t answer, just raised her chin slightly, as if in challenge. And I felt the burn of her sass curl straight to my cock.

Much too long since I’ve had a female,I thought, irritated.

“Let them see your strength,” I rasped. “This rider season will be tough on you. But as queen to the Sarrothian, there is deep-seated expectation that you cannot ignore. And the first test will be your strength and your willpower. You’re much too small and weak to claim an Elthika of your own.”

She sputtered, her eyes wide. “Excuse me?”

“But they will never accept you if you don’t, so…you will have to claim one regardless.”

Her jaw dropped. “What?”

Chapter 14

KLARA

“You need sleep,” Sarkin growled into my ear once I descended down Zaridan’s wing. I nearly cried in happiness when I stepped foot on the earth. Nearly fell to my knees too, every muscle in my body on the verge of giving out.

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