Captive of the Horde King (Horde Kings Of Dakkar #1) - Zoey Draven Page 0,101
was unprepared for his speed and he knocked the dagger out of my hand before I even blinked.
Behind me, I heard a pyroki burst into the clearing. The Ghertun’s eyes widened and he stumbled back, prepared to flee. I turned and saw Arokan swinging off Kailon, his blade already unsheathed.
The Ghertun didn’t make it far.
With a furious roar, my horde king swung his sword, plunging it into the leader’s belly, right where his heart was. He was dead the moment it penetrated.
The leader immediately fell facedown, but Arokan was already turning to me, the dead Ghertun already forgotten.
His expression was thunderous. His eyes were wild, his chest heaving with roughened breaths, Ghertun blood splattered across his chest and face.
My lips parted. I’d never seen my horde king so…undone.
Relief made tears prick my eyes as his arms came around me, swinging me up against his chest. I bit my lip when my shoulder pulled and he gentled his strength when he noticed me holding it peculiarly.
“Luna,” he rasped in my ear. He was shaking, the muscles in his arms and shoulders and chest vibrating with the adrenaline coursing through him. “Luna.”
Just then, the rest of the horde warriors broke through the clearing, surrounding us.
“There were f-five,” I told him. “I killed one earlier.”
Arokan’s expression pulled and he turned to his pujerak, whose eyes I caught. Arokan’s arms tightened around me as he said, “There is one more. Do not return until he is dead.”
The pujerak inclined his head. He called out to the horde warriors and they rode out. They would comb through the forest, I knew. They wouldn’t stop until Arokan’s orders were carried out.
Arokan swung us both up on Kailon. Exhaustion was starting to weigh on me. Now that I was safe, all I wanted to do was sleep. I was still cradled in his arms and I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heart race.
My horde king looked down at my face, his expression tightening at whatever he saw. Rage entered his gaze, hot and furious. I realized he was doing everything he could not to explode.
I reached out to touch his cheek and he closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring, cupping my hand with his. He brought his forehead down to mine, gently.
Rasping, he said, “I feared…vok!”
He stopped with a curse and I could still feel him tremble against me at whatever he thought.
“Take me home, Arokan,” I whispered.
Beyond words, my horde king nodded and he spurred Kailon into a sprint back towards camp.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“You’re sure I can’t do anything, Luna?” Kivan asked quietly, squeezing my hand.
“No,” I said, giving him a small smile that I hoped reassured him. I was laying in bed, propped up by a plethora of cushions. It was early morning, not even a few hours after Arokan had found me. Dawn was just beginning to break over the sky and already, I’d been patched up by the healer, my arm popped back into place, and I’d had some tea for the pain. “I just need rest.”
Kivan nodded. He looked tired. He’d been up all night too. I’d learned that it had been him who’d alerted Arokan that something was wrong. He’d seen me go into the black vine forest with Hukan, though he hadn’t thought anything of it at the time. However, once he saw Hukan exit alone, without me or my guards, he went to find Arokan immediately.
“I’m glad you’re safe, Luna,” Kivan whispered down to me. He squeezed my hand and then rose from the bed. “I’ll see you later.”
I nodded and watched him go. My piki, Mirari and Lavi, had already come by and I knew they were outside waiting for my brother, to ask him about me. Both, apparently, were overcome with guilt, though I couldn’t understand why. I’d dismissed them yesterday evening, to go let them prepare for the grand meal.
The moment my brother exited the tent, Arokan stepped inside, as if my husband knew I’d needed that time with my brother.
Arokan was still quiet. Even though the last of the Ghertun had been hunted down, he was still furious. I could tell. I’d never seen him this way before and it worried me.
“Come here,” I ordered. Silently, Arokan walked to his side of the bed and slid in beside me. He drew close, careful of my injured shoulder, of the burn, and positioned me so I laid my head in the crook of his elbow.