Page 66 of The Blind Hordesman

“People, I have a brain,” Dreikx repeats and starts running into the dense evergreen forest. “Follow me,” he shouts. “Weak brain pattern ahead.”

Loven takes off after Dreikx.

I tug on the rope. “Come on.”

Arkin tsks. “After they clear the area.”

I tug harder. “I want to see him.”

“Perhaps it is not him. It could be anyone.”

“But I have to know.”

“And you will. After they clear the area.”

I start unwinding the rope. When I can’t untie it with my fingers, I glance at the knife strapped to the Collector’stil, then back at him. Arkin’s gaze is on the trees.

Quickly, I snatch the knife from histiland slice, hoping it will cut the rope in one swipe. It does! Freed, I sprint after Dreikx as fast as my legs will carry me and enter the forest, Arkin shouting after me, running on my heels.

Fingers close over my shoulder, and claws dig but don’t pierce my skin, and the male picks me up and swings from the tree with me, then releases me, letting me fly through the air. I scream and flail my arms when another male catches me. It’s Vemlox. He hikes me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and moves between the treetops as if it’s the most natural thing people do.

I hang on to his belt for dear life, and when he hops down to the ground, I can’t peel myself off him. I stare at the ground. “Is it over?”

He doesn’t answer, so, upside down, I peek around him. Oh dear Serpent. Vemlox sets me on my feet, and I take in the scene before me.

Father’s body is separated into two halves connected only by the neck. With his back to a tree, Seer sits, venom bleeding out of his eyes, nose, and ears, between cracks in his armor. He’s completely covered in venom and blood. Loven kneels next to him, his hands roaming all over his son’s body, and he’s mumbling incoherently.

I kneel on the other side of Seer and want to touch him, but I don’t know where to touch him or even if I want to touch him for fear he’s dead. A soft rattle comes from his chest, and I press my hand to it, but come away with clotted blood. “Father poisoned him,” I say.

There’s something I should do. I know there is, and it’s at the top of my mind, but I can’t quite process seeing Seer in the state we found him. Arkin arrives and wails. Tears well up in my eyes, and I hug Seer, my hand landing at the back of his head, feeling dents and cracks in his skull.

I kiss him everywhere, hysterical and desperate for him to live, and my necklace catches on a piece of his cracked armor. It breaks off, and the vial drops into his lap. I stare at it and pick it up immediately, then uncap the vial, pry open Seer’s mouth, and pour the contents inside. With the back of my wet sleeve, I wipe Seer’s face, and I keep wiping, as if that’s gonna help him. I move to his chest and start cleaning, and when my sleeve is soaked in blood, I remove my wool thigh-highs and wipe with one, then the other, all the while sniffing, thinking I need a blanket or fur to keep him warm.

“Come on, Seer.” I press my palms over his cheeks and my lips against his cold ones. “Come on.” When he doesn’t get better, I talk more. “The Telean in the hive said I’m pregnant. Isn’t that wonderful news?”

He stares ahead.

“Fight it, Seer,” I whisper. “Fight it. The strongest Alpha is king. You are king.” I take his arm and throw it over my shoulders and try to prop him up so these males don’t witness him at his worse. He’s so proud. He’s so very proud. He hates seeming weak, even if they are family, even if they’ve seen it all. “Alpha,” I tell Loven, who’s in some sort trance, just stiting there rocking back and forth.

“Help me get him up.”

Loven blinks and asks, “What did you give him?”

“An antidote.” I strain to prop Seer up to standing and glare at his dad when he won’t help me. Arkin comes and lifts Seer, whose head hangs and legs can’t carry him. We stand there for a bit and listen to his breathing even out and one foot comes level with the ground, then the other. Venom has stopped seeping out of his orifices, so the antidote helped his own venom fight Father’s. Seer lifts his head.

“Kiki,” he rasps.

“Yes?”

“Have you been behaving?”

I laugh and cry at the same time, then notice everyone’s gone quiet. I look up to see them kneeling.

“All hail the new king,” I say.

“Hail!” they shout.

Epilogue

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