Page 36 of Claimed By the Drakarn Warrior Lord

The enforcer staggered to his feet, his back a ruin, his movements sluggish. He lunged, more out of desperation than skill. It didn’t matter. I sidestepped with a fluid grace, my tail whipping around, catching him mid-charge. Bone crunched against bone, a sickening sound, and he was airborne for a fleeting moment before slamming into a jagged outcrop. He didn't rise. The fight drained from his eyes, leaving them vacant.

The tide of the battle shifted. I tracked Rath’smovements, a brief assessment of his position and the threat he posed. More of the humans were upright than I’d anticipated, their crude weapons wielded with a surprising amount of fierce determination.

Whatever fear or burning anger fueled them, it bought the precious seconds my warriors needed to gain the upper hand.

My focus snapped back to the remaining rival Drakarn, their attempts to regroup failing miserably. Their scattered formation reeked of panic; their leader was either dead or had fled.

Fools.

I surged forward again, claws crunching on fragments of scale and bone as I slammed into another straggler. His yelp was abruptly cut short beneath my weight, the air expelled from his lungs as I drove him into the sand. His body convulsed once, then went still. A feral snarl tightened my lips, though I suppressed the surge of satisfaction. Such indulgence was a waste of energy, a luxury I couldn’t afford.

"Press the attack! Leave no survivors!" I bellowed, my voice a weapon that cut through the chaos. The commanding tone galvanized my warriors. Discipline, precision, overwhelming force—it yielded the same brutal efficiency asalways. The rival Drakarn faltered, their resistance fracturing. Instincts for self-preservation eclipsed any semblance of strategy.

Their retreat was a disorganized rout. My warriors pursued relentlessly, each strike precise, aimed to incapacitate or kill. The sands drank deeply of fresh blood, the air thick with the metallic tang and the acrid smell of scorched flesh. The wounded were abandoned, left to writhe in pools of their own lifeblood under the pitiless suns. A grimly familiar sight.

The battle’s frenzy subsided, leaving an echoing silence. The heady scent of victory, usually exhilarating, left a bitter taste on my tongue. I planted my claws firmly, wings folding against my back as I surveyed the remnants of the carnage.

My gaze snagged on Rath. He stood unmoving, his bulk still shielding the huddled humans. His breathing was ragged, a low, rhythmic rasp against the backdrop of fading battle cries.

I landed beside the alcove, the humans shrinking back, their faces etched with fear and a fragile defiance. Vega stood at the forefront, her posture protective despite her obvious exhaustion.

She inclined her head, a subtle gesture of acknowledgement. Her gaze swept over the fallenDrakarn. "This didn't exactly go as planned. Some asshole grabbed me as soon as I left the city."

"You speak our words." Was this another human trick?

Vega shrugged. "I'm a quick study."

I had to leave it aside for now. "Terra is unharmed." I glanced over my shoulder, seeing my mate approaching, disregarding my earlier command.

Of course.

The two women exchanged a brief, assessing look, a silent communication passing between them. I recognized the subtle narrowing of Terra’s eyes, the telltale sign she was calculating which truths to reveal.

Rath approached, his wings held tight against his back. "The area is secure."

I studied the humans, noting their reactions. One in particular drew my attention—a slight female with vibrant purple hair who couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from Rath. That was a problem for later.

"We return to Scalvaris," I announced, spreading my wings, my shadow falling across them. "All of us. Arrangements will be made for these women."

If my mate had any objection, she kept it to herself.

The flight back was taut with unspoken tensions, the air thick with simmering emotions and unasked questions. Terra rode with me again, but the familiar warmth of her was absent, replaced by a rigid stiffness that felt like a physical wound.

I watched my warriors pair off with the rescued humans, noting the careful way Rath positioned himself to carry the purple-haired female to the medical cavern.

The twin suns disappeared as we descended into Scalvaris. I landed on my private balcony, setting Terra down with a force harder than intended.

She stumbled, catching herself, her green eyes meeting mine. They held a turbulent mix of defiance and something I couldn’t decipher. Regret? Fear? The clarity I once possessed was gone.

Only one question mattered, the one that had clawed at me since the battle had begun. My voice was stripped bare, raw with need in the fading light.

"Will you ever trust me?"

SIXTEEN

TERRA

Oh god, I’d fucked up. Big time.

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