Tharon

THARON

I paced across the polished stone floor of my chambers, the ornate architecture a blur in my peripheral vision. Three days.

Three days since I’d seen her face, heard her voice in the message from the device. Niam. My mate. The image of her burned in my mind - that fiery red hair, skin so pale it was almost translucent, eyes filled with agony.

My fists clenched at my sides, nails digging into my palms. The pain grounded me, but only barely. I should be out there, searching for her. Instead, I was trapped here, dealing with petty politics and a dying king.

Tapping at the door interrupted my brooding. “Enter,” I barked.

A servant scurried in, head bowed. “Your Highness, the council awaits your presence.”

I waved him away, jaw tight. Time to face the whivvens.

The grand council chamber loomed before me, its imposing stone walls adorned with intricate carvings depicting Zashi’s long history. I strode in, my face a mask of cold indifference. Inside, I seethed.

The councilors fell silent as I entered, their wary glances and hushed whispers grating on my already frayed nerves. I took my place at the head of the table, surveying the room.

“Gentlemen, ladies,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil within. “I have an announcement. During my absence, Drax will serve as regent.”

The shock on their faces would have been satisfying under different circumstances. As it was, I barely noticed.

Lord Kaine, a portly man with more ambition than sense, was the first to object. “But Your Highness, surely Prince Drax lacks the experience-”

I cut him off with a sharp gesture. “My decision is final.”

Lady Sera, her silver hair gleaming in the torchlight, leaned forward. “And where exactly will you be going, Your Highness? What urgent business takes you from Zashi in our time of need?”

My fingers drummed against the armrest of my chair. “That is none of your concern, Lady Sera.”

The council erupted into a cacophony of protests and questions. I tuned them out, my mind drifting back to Niam. Where was she now? Was she safe? The need to find her, to claim her, clawed at my insides.

“This is madness!” The voice of Lord Errin, one of the oldest councilors, cut through the din. “Your father lies ill, the kingdom teeters on the brink of chaos, and you would abandon us for some... some secret errand?”

Something inside me snapped. I felt the change begin, my control slipping away like sand through an hourglass. My vision sharpened, colors becoming more vivid. I could smell the fear rolling off the councilors in waves.

“You forget your place,” I snarled, rising to my full height. My hands, now tipped with razor-sharp claws, gripped the edge of the table. I bared my elongated fangs, satisfaction coursing through me as chairs scraped back and gasps filled the air.

“Your lands can easily be redistributed, Lord Kaine,” I said, my voice low and menacing. “And Lady Sera, I wonder how your family would fare without your protection.”

I swept my gaze across the room, meeting each pair of terrified eyes. “You have two choices. Deal with Drax as regent, or deal with me. Choose wisely.”

Silence fell over the chamber. I strode out, my cloak swirling behind me dramatically. In the corridor, I nearly collided with Drax.

I laughed bitterly. “Come to check on the madman, have you?”

“I know what it’s like,” he said softly. “When I first heard Lita’s call... I would have torn the world apart to reach her.”

We’d never been close. There had been times that we might have killed each other as easily as breathing.

But in the past months since the human women had come to Zashi, something had shifted.

Then Niam’s face flashed in my mind again, and all other concerns faded away. I had to find her.

There were no words I could say, not anymore.

Back in my chambers, I packed hastily, grabbing maps, weapons, and supplies. My fingers traced the outline of the device in my pouch - the key to finding Niam.

In the courtyard, I mounted my bagart, ignoring the wary glances of the castle staff. My gaze fixed on the distant mountains where Niam’s message had indicated she would be.

As my bagart’s hooves clattered on the cobblestones, a single thought consumed me: “I’m coming, Niam.”

Fear gnawed at the edges of my mind - fear that I wouldn’t reach her in time, that I would lose myself to the beast within before I could claim my mate. But I pushed it aside. I would find her. I had to.

The open road stretched before me, and I urged my mount faster. Every second counted.

Niam. I was coming for her. And gods help anyone who stood in my way.