Broken by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar #4) - Zoey Draven Page 0,97

Surely, he must have one. And surely, he would tell his horde soon.

“The south has been strange lately,” I told her. “For now, maybe it’s best to stay within the walls.”

She wasn’t entirely satisfied with my answer but she nodded and continued to brush out my hair.

“Lysi, that is probably best,” she said.

“Nik, try again,” I ordered Essir. “Like this.”

I showed him the correct stitching on a lobbas root again. The brown root had thick skin and was how I’d learned to suture most wounds with efficiency, a tip from my own mokkira. My poor family had eaten lobbas for weeks as I practiced, so we didn’t waste the food.

It was a quiet afternoon, so I thought it was a perfect time to help teach Essir more suturing techniques. We’d already refilled our stock of uudun, I’d boiled kuniri and mashed it for preservation, and we had the last of my hakin blooms and jenuria root simmering on the fire. With the babies that would be coming during the frost—and the babies that would be made during the frost—I thought having extra stores of the potion for morning sickness would be a good idea.

Since it was a cool afternoon, we had the window coverings lifted, letting in more light and a nice, refreshing breeze. As Essir practiced on the next lobbas root, which I’d asked Hinna to procure from the bikkus, I looked out the windows.

I saw a flash of red hair, vibrant in the sunlight. Gabe. Walking next to him was Addie and they were chatting animatedly, Addie waving her hands and smiling up at him. I’d last seen them at the feast but it looked like Addie’s belly had grown even rounder in that short time.

Then I heard a Dakkari male call out. Addie turned, her smile wide, and she laughed when her mate suddenly appeared from around another voliki, tugging her into his arms.

Addie stared up at him, all adoration. Behind her, Gabe lingered, a strange expression on his face though his gaze was turned away.

Something about his expression stuck in my chest, made my throat tighten with understanding. Something I’d caught hints of before.

Before I knew it, I told Essir, “I’ll be right back. Continue practicing, lysi?”

“Lysi, mokkira,” came my apprentice’s reply, and I ducked from the voliki just in time to wave at Addie as she passed with her mate, his arm around her. They were heading in the direction of the bikku tent but Gabe wasn’t following.

It felt strange to call out his given name but I knew that he would not take offense.

“Gabe!”

He’d been turning in the opposite direction but when he heard his name, he smiled wide.

“Good afternoon,” he greeted, walking towards me. “I thought I’d never see you again,” he teased.

He meant after the way I’d left the feast.

“I apologize for that,” I told him, inspecting his face carefully. His eyes were rapt on me, his smile charming. “Too much brew, I suspect.”

His smile died slightly. “You sure it wasn’t the Vorakkar cutting in? The way he looked at me almost made me sick.”

I frowned. Had Kiran been scaring Gabe away that night? Had he approached us when we were dancing to send a deliberate message to the human male?

Sighing, I said, “Regardless, I shouldn’t have disappeared like that. I’m sorry. I’ve been meaning to come find you but…”

“The duties of a mokkira are important,” he assured me, placing his hand on my arm. His palm was warm. Nice. But I didn’t get all shivery and my heart didn’t speed when Gabe touched me. “I understand.”

I didn’t want to lead Gabe on…because I knew how unfair it was. How frustrating it was. But I at least thought it fair to give him an explanation.

“Gabe,” I said, clearing my throat, “I…I know that you have an interest in me. And—”

“Is it that obvious?” he teased, his smile widening, though his cheeks flushed a little.

I bit my lip and my uncertainty must’ve shown on my face because I saw a muscle in his jaw jump. I saw his smile falter a little.

He blew out a breath. “I see.”

I didn’t know how to do this. I’d never had to do this but I wanted to be direct and honest.

“Is it the Vorakkar?” he asked quietly.

I sighed, not knowing how to explain but wanting to. A Dakkari female passed, carrying a bucket of water, and I moved closer to Gabe so we wouldn’t be overheard.

Gabe took my silence for my answer. His smile was bright