“We need to find the heartstone to gain her trust, deliver the girl back to the Dead Mountain as a distraction, and lysi, plan for a war if we cannot prevent one,” Rath Tuviri said.
Vok. I did not need the others looking into the disappearance of the fifth heartstone. I had kept it a secret for a long time, since it was not my secret to tell.
“The kalles comes with me,” I decided.
“Nik,” Rath Kitala cut in immediately. “Absolutely not.”
“I was not asking,” I growled. “My horde is closest to the Dead Lands and closest to the ancient groves.”
The ancient groves…where it was rumored the darukkar had brought the heartstone along with his dying mate. It was common knowledge. It was true knowledge, actually, since that was where the heartstone rested. But the groves were so vast that it could take hundreds of years to search them before finding the heartstone.
“I will find the heartstone,” I lied to the circle of Vorakkars, “I will get information out of the kalles and then I will take her back to the Dead Mountain before the black moon.”
Rath Tuviri frowned. “The black moon?”
“Oh, I didn’t mention that?” I rasped, my tone rough. “She told me that was how long Lozza had given her to return.”
I remembered the haunted look on her face, the desperation she probably didn’t even realize had been shining in her gaze, when she’d told me that.
“Anything else she told you that you have failed to mention?” Rath Kitala growled.
He really did not like me.
Good.
My teeth flashed when I grinned. “Not that I can think of.”
Rath Tuviri looked at me closely and said, “You must not mistreat her if you expect to earn her trust.”
I snarled, the rage uncurling from me quickly, as I grated, “I have never harmed a female in my life. Dakkari or otherwise.”
Rath Rowin, who I knew best of all the Vorakkars, clasped a hand on my shoulder, though I stiffened at his touch. He told the group, “Rath Drokka will do as he says. I believe that. We will communicate by the thesper as needed. Rath Tuviri will research the lost heartstone at the archives and I will assist him. Rath Loppar, you will work with the Dothikkar. Convince him as much as you can that this is the best course of action for now.”
Rath Loppar inclined his head. He was the eldest Vorakkar, appointed by the Dothikkar’s father, the last great king. As such, the Dothikkar respected him the most and might listen to what he had to say.
“Rath Kitala and Rath Okkili, you should journey to the outposts and prepare them. If it comes to war, we need every darukkar they can spare,” Rath Rowin finished.
Rath Tuviri nodded, his eyes flitting around the group, lingering on me. “We are in agreement?”
“Lysi,” I said. “I will leave in the morning with the kalles. Send me anything you find in the archives by the thesper.”
Thesper were intelligent creatures, trained to carry messages over long distances. They were extremely useful, especially during the cold season, when Dakkari messengers could not be spared.
There was nothing more to be said. We would have to meet one last time before the black moon undoubtedly, to share what we learned, to reassess, but for now, we had our tasks.
Rath Kitala caught my arm before I left the room and murmured lowly, so the others could not hear, “The others might not see it, but I know the hearts of males like you. And they are as black and tainted as Drukkar’s wrath. Harm her and you will have Kakkari to answer to.”
I leaned closer, hissing, “If you knew me, Rath Kitala, then you would know my heart is the darkest of them all.”
His jaw clenched. His eyes flashed. I pulled my arm out of his grip and strode from the room. Only once I was alone in the hallway did I take in a deep, shuddering breath.
Rath Kitala’s words had hit something inside of me I thought long gone.
Regret.
Because he was right. I was a monster. And I had a feeling that the beast inside me demanded to be fed…and only she would sate that appetite. I wanted to gorge myself on her. I wanted to taint her. I wanted her to take away some of the darkness that had been festering in my soul for a long while.
I almost felt sorry for the little white-haired creature named Vienne.