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Another billow of blackness flowed from my shoulders.
I quaked on the spot with fury.
“For saving my life and my clan’s life, I won’t stand in your way to say goodbye to my mate....in whatever ways you need.” His ebony eyes narrowed with intent. “But the night after the Aium festival, you will give her to me willingly. You will stand quietly at our matrimonial ceremony, and you and your shadows will not interfere when I take her into my furs. I won’t make you leave our clan, Darro. I see now you could prove valuable to my people, but I will enforce your place if you do not accept these terms.”
I didn’t trust myself to talk.
I hadn’t breathed in his entire self-centred speech.
It took every ounce of control I had not to let my whipping, snarling shadows loose.
How easy it would be to slice into his chest and rip out his beating heart.
I wanted that.
So.
Fucking.
Badly.
I tasted his blood and hummed with violence.
Zetas dropped into a crouch, feeding off my wrath.
Aktor swallowed hard, backing away. “You know you hurt her if you hurt me.”
And wasn’t that the awful, despicable truth.
A shadow got loose from my control, whipping toward his throat.
I couldn’t look at him anymore.
I’d kill him.
With a quick summoning of Rivoza’s magic, I cocooned myself in the air element, churned my furious shadows into a blackened vortex, and vanished from Aktor’s sight.
Chapter Fifty-One
. Runa .
“THE RIPPLES OF WHAT YOU did last night have been felt far and wide, Runa.”
I looked up, blinking away the monotony of walking. My eyes met Solin’s weary ones.
I didn’t want to have this conversation with him, but then guilt weighed heavily, and I hung my head. “What happened with Darro and me was—”
“Selfish,” he muttered coldly.
He looked strained and older than he had when we’d left the camp on the bison hunt. His shoulders hunched, and his long braids were lank in the humid late afternoon. His bison cloak was rolled up and tucked on one of the travois being pulled behind us, leaving his dark chest gleaming with toil.
On the horizon, smoke from the ever-present fire in the Nhil camp speared into the sky, welcoming us back.
It’d been a long walk—made easier thanks to the food Darro had brought to replenish my lack of energy—but still a long journey with memories of death and pleasure forever linked.
Darro’s presence had been brief when he’d dropped off the food, but his kiss had made every part of me hum. And, as he left with Aktor at his heels, a nudge of fear reminded me that I’d forgotten to bring Olish’s tonic on the hunt.
Last night, Darro’s body had entered mine.
Our essences had blended.
We’d done what other creatures did to create cubs, pups, and babes.
Could we have started life last night?
I stilled as another thought overshadowed that one.
If I grew big with Darro’s youngling...would that be enough to stop the blood bind?
After all, it would be breath and bone within me, not just blood.
My mind raced with possibilities.
Solin sighed and grabbed my hand, stopping me. “We need to talk. I should’ve said this hours ago, and I’m running out of time.”
My feet stopped moving; my mind screeched to a halt. All thoughts of younglings and mortals with the power of life and death scattered. “W-What do we need to talk about?”
Tral and Aktor turned to look at us, their eyebrows raised in the same way, proving how similar father and son were. “Solin?” Tral asked. “We’re almost there, brother. If you’re tired, you only have a short distance to walk. Home awaits.”
Home.
My heart pinched.
We’re almost home.
A sudden flush of happiness warmed me at the thought of seeing Hyath, Natim, Way, and Pallen again, followed swiftly by panic.
Without realising, this had become my home.
Even though my heart had found its belonging in Darro, the rest of me had found safety, comfort, and purpose here.
I wished I hadn’t fallen for this place or these people. I wished I didn’t have split loyalties within me that constantly warred over right and wrong.
Solin let my hand go, murmuring something only Tral could hear.
I let the males speak, my eyes drifting back to the fire’s smoke, ignoring Aktor’s stare as he watched me closely. What had he said to Darro when he followed him earlier today?
I flinched as he moved toward me, just as Tral said, “See you back at home, Runa.” Tral placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, halting him. “Come along, Aktor. The short distance between you two won’t affect your heart’s rhythms. Let the Fire Reader share a few moments alone with his acolyte.”
Aktor looked like he’d argue, but a glower from Solin had him falling obediently in step with Tral. They left without another word.
Solin took my hand again, waiting until the last hunter had drifted around us on their way toward the camp. Niya caught my gaze as she walked by. She shrugged and blew me a kiss, smiling warily as her hand landed on Syn’s haunches as the lynx prowled beside her.
