Madness of the Horde King - Zoey Draven Page 0,129

of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure launch at me. I turned, my sword raised, only to see it was a Ghertun child, its black eyes pinned on me, its lips pulled back into a snarl.

A child.

Horror filled me and I hesitated too long. I felt dozens of claws curl into my flesh, scrabbling, raking.

The mass of Ghertun hit me like a wall and an enraged bellow tore from my throat at the impact.

Nik, need to save her, need to get back to her, I thought, more blood dripping into my eyes, making them sting and blurring my vision.

The thought filled me with purpose—she filled me with purpose—and my muscles strained and pulled as I held my ground against the dozens and dozens of Ghertun out for my blood. If they got me down, it would be the end. I needed to push them back, to keep my footing, no matter what happened.

Suddenly, a strange hum filled the room, one that made my skin tingle because it was familiar. Then there was a flash of blinding blue light, one that made the Ghertun screech.

In the light, I saw the hall had been flooded with Ghertun, more than I could ever take on by myself. Dark squirming bodies that had begun to race towards me before the light had stopped them all in their tracks.

That was when I saw the source of it.

“Nik,” I rasped.

Horror and disbelief filled me. For a moment, I couldn’t trust what I was seeing.

Vienne was standing at the entrance of the great hall. Her eyes were glowing blue, her hair floating around her as if she were underwater, her mouth open in a soundless scream.

“Nik!” I roared. “Vienne!”

In her palm was the glowing heartstone.

Chapter Forty-Nine

There were many entrances to the Dead Mountain. Hidden ones throughout the eastlands, tunneled from the Dead Mountain directly, ending in forests or deserted valleys. It was how the Ghertun could move so easily without being seen.

I didn’t use any of them. Instead, I used the main entrance at the face of the Dead Mountain, though it was guarded by at least a dozen Ghertun warriors.

Hedna was on his pyroki at my pyroki’s heels. We’d passed the darukkars—both Davik’s and the Vorakkar of Rath Kitala’s—camped close by. They had been waiting for something but when Rath Kitala had seen me, alive, I heard his curse as I stormed passed.

“Kalles, stop!” he’d bellowed after me but I paid him no mind, my heartbeat thrumming in my ears after the long journey. Physically, I was exhausted—hungry, tired, aching. But mentally, I could take on anything. We weren’t that far behind Davik but I wondered how long he’d already been inside the Dead Mountain. There was no sign of him among the small encampment, which only made me fear the worst.

Hedna followed and then I heard the Vorakkar’s orders. I didn’t look behind me—my eyes were only for the Dead Mountain—but I heard the rumble of dozens of pyrokis and their riders as they pursued me.

The entrance was up ahead and we wound down the valley with astonishing speed, the pyrokis’ clawed talons made for rocky terrain like this.

When the Ghertun guards saw us, they were already prepared, standing in a line at the entrance, their spears raised towards us. I felt their hesitation, their fear. I didn’t know the boundaries of this new power but once I could see the glittering of their eyes, I spread that power over them like a blanket, imagining that it wrapped them tight like a cord.

Let us pass, I pushed into their minds. Though there were a dozen guards, each of them lowered their spears...

And they let us pass.

At the gates of the Dead Mountain, I pulled my pyroki to a stop and slid off her side. I felt the heartstone, hot and burning in the pockets of my trews. I gritted my teeth because I had to focus on keeping that command pressed within the Ghertun’s minds like a brand. A dozen at once was staggering but manageable. I only feared that I would reach my limits soon without finding my family or Davik first.

The Vorakkar of Rath Kitala and the darukkars kicked up a cloud of dirt behind me, the evening sun beginning to redden the sky above us.

“What…what is this, kalles?” Rath Kitala rasped, eyeing the Ghertun, who were standing close to me.

“Restrain them,” I said. “Please.”

Hedna was already off his pyroki, casting me an unreadable look as he passed to take