Page 154 of The Hunter

Sahn bowed his head. “We will keep these words in our hearts and decide as a Nedrayas, Garahk ki’Tuun. May the Eight shield and guide you on your journey.”

“And may they watch over you with their eightfold eyes.” Garahk turned to the thornskulls. “Let us stride to Kaldarak!”

Telok lowered himself to the ground and offered a hand to Lacey. “Come, kir’ani vi’jatai. Let me carry you home.”

Smiling, Lacey pressed a kiss to his mouth before taking his hand and carefully climbing onto his hindquarters. She wrapped her arms around his sides. “You are my home, my luveen. Wherever we go.”

CHAPTER 38

The journey back to Kaldarak was arduous. Injuries slowed the party’s pace, and the muggy heat was as miserable as always, but Lacey kept silent, not wanting to complain. Though she had lingering aches and bruises from the fight against the kurghests, it was her side that hurt most of all, and she was immensely grateful that Telok had insisted she ride atop him. It would’ve been agonizing to walk the whole way. She couldn’t imagine how much it would’ve sucked to trudge up hills, stumble down slopes, climb over roots, and clamber over rocks when simply sitting on Telok’s hindquarters was painful enough. She felt every bump and jostle, even with him being careful.

But that didn’t stop her from being plagued by guilt. Though he pushed on as though they were no bother, Telok had suffered many wounds during the hunt. Lacey knew vrix healed far more swiftly than humans, but they were not impervious to pain. She felt his pace subtly faltering as the day wore on, noted the care he took not to disturb the worst of his wounds with his movements, and saw the stiffness in his limbs when they settled down to rest for the night.

When she tried to argue with him about carrying her the next day, he brushed off her worries. She demanded he let her walk.

“No,” he replied, even as he scooped her up, his arms caging her in as strongly as ever. “So long as I can carry my mate, I will do so, and none will stop me.”

She relented after a few strides, climbing onto his hindquarters once he set her down.

“That is where you will stay until I tell you to get down, vi’jatai,” he commanded.

Despite everything, his firm, possessive tone sent a thrill through her. She enjoyed being there, enjoyed being close to him, enjoyed being able to spend her day with her arms around him.

After three days, they had the misfortune of being caught in a thunderstorm that made it too dangerous to continue. They sought shelter beneath a rocky overhang on the side of a cliff as powerful winds and torrential rain battered the jungle. Flashes of lightning broke the gloom with stark, eerie light, and booming thunder shook the ground and the stone around them.

Through it all, Telok cradled Lacey in his arms, keeping her warm and soothing her with gentle brushes of his hands down her back.

When the storm finally passed, the devastation it had left behind only further slowed the party.

On the eighth day, Lacey realized that she recognized their surroundings. This wasn’t just random jungle—it was familiar! Her heart leapt, and excitement thrummed through her.

They were close to Kaldarak.

Everyone moved faster, their weariness overcome by their eagerness to finish this last stretch of their journey. When she looked ahead and saw the base of the steps that led up to the city in the trees, her relief was so immense that tears filled her eyes.

They were home.

The black eyes of the two vrix guarding the steps widened.

“By the Eight,” the male thornskull rasped. “You live.”

The other guard shook herself out of her stupor and called up. “Garahk has returned!”

A multitude of voices echoed those words overhead, passing the message throughout Kaldarak.

Garahk chittered as he neared the guards. “Nothing in the Tangle could put out my shar’thai.”

Both guards made the sign of the Eight.

“Your shar’thai burns bright,” the female said. “For many days, we searched the Tangle for you. Our daiya has led many parties and has given herself little rest.”

Her gaze moved past him to the others. When it fell upon Ess and Zesh, she started. “Who…”

“We will share words above,” Garahk said solemnly. “Many, many words. But first I will see my heartsflame.”

The guards bowed their heads and stepped aside, allowing the group past.

Lacey tightened her embrace around her mate and pressed a kiss to the center of his back. She didn’t miss his little shiver. The last time Telok had carried her up these steps, she’d been tied up and slung over his shoulder like a trophy he’d caught. It felt like that had been a lifetime ago.