Page 22 of Draekora

“Just some weird stuff about remembering me. Nothing he said made any sense.” She shook her head and turned back to Roka. “Like I said, he’s crazy.”

Roka ran a hand through his tousled dark hair. “Well, if nothing else, at least we know there’s no point in seeking him out again. Niyx has nothing to gain by helping us. He’s imprisoned for life, so long as my father rules Meya. His only hope is for Aven to free him.”

Alex nodded, agreeing with Roka’s assessment. “What were those things he called you? ‘Kreg’-something and ‘nor’-something?”

Roka furrowed his brow before realising what she was referring to. “Kregonandnorot?”

“Yeah, those.”

His face relaxed and a hint of a smile touched his lips. “I was planning to teach you some of our language, but not, perhaps, the kind of vernacular Niyx practises. You might say thatkregonandnorotare somewhat… derogatory terms. And not appropriate in a public setting.”

“He was insulting you?”

Roka’s smile widened for some strange reason. “He was. And rather crudely.Kregonalone makes reference to the rear end of a—”

Alex held up her hands. “Nope, stop. I don’t want to know.”

Roka chuckled but did as she requested and ceased speaking.

“I don’t get it,” Alex said. “Why do you seem so happy about him calling you rude names?”

“Because I figure if you’re asking me about Meyarin curse words, you’re probably not too traumatised by the events of this evening.”

Alex blew out a frustrated breath. “Roka, seriously, I told you I’m fine.”

“And now I believe you.”

She shook her head at him and mumbled, “You’re going to have to get over your protective tendencies if you want to train me properly. You know you have to attack me, right? That’s the whole point of teaching me how to fight like a Meyarin.”

“When you have a confident grasp on your abilities,little human,”—he sent her a sideways grin at his use of Zain’s mocking nickname—“I’m sure my ‘protective tendencies’ will dissipate. But until then, you’re going to have to accept that I’ll be watching out for you.”

TheValispathhad entered the palace while Roka had been speaking and it was now swiftly moving them upwards towards her room. When they came to a halt outside her door, Roka turned to face her and quietly said, “I know this past fortnight can’t have been easy on you, Alex, not with your worry over Jordan and your fears about Aven. I admire your strength more than I can say. As long as I have it in me to give, I willnotallow that strength to crumble by any hand. If that makes me overly protective, then so be it. Zain and Kyia, too—we’re all going to remain by your side, holding your hands until this dark threat has passed.”

Alex tried to swallow through her suddenly clogged throat.

Roka’s shoulders relaxed and he reached out to pull her into a comforting hug.

“I know you didn’t want any part in all this,” he whispered to the top of her head. “But never forget that you are stronger than you realise and more capable than you could ever imagine. Of that you have my word.”

“Stop, Roka, you’re killing me here,” Alex whispered back, her voice croaking.

The prince released her and stepped back, his serious demeanour lightening as he smiled teasingly down at her. “Well, we don’t want that now, do we? Not before you embark on thevarrungard, at least. You’ll need to stay alive if you want any chance of surviving tomorrow’s adventure.”

Relieved as she was that their emotionally charged moment had passed, Alex still narrowed her eyes at him. “You told me it’s not dangerous.”

Roka laughed once and turned her around, pushing her towards her door. “I said no such thing. Get some sleep, Alex. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

Eight

“Crash course in Meyarin wilderness survival,” Kyiasaid early the next morning.

The sun had barely begun to crest over the Golden Cliffs when the female Meyarin had dragged Alex out of bed and helped her into a fur-lined outfit that would, hopefully, keep her alive in the wintry forest. Then, still half asleep, Alex had been shoved onto theValispath, only managing to remain upright because she’d spent the entire journey propped against Zain, who had, for the most part, been highly entertained by her humanness.

“Any running water you can find in the Silverwood is pure and safe to drink,” Kyia said, and Alex forced herself to pay attention, knowing it was important if she wanted to survive thevarrungardand make it back to the academy the following night. “It might be the thick of winter, but the streams run straight from the mountains, so they shouldn’t be frozen over.”

“Water, safe,” Alex recited between yawns.

Zain chuckled and Kyia’s green eyes sparkled.

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