Chapter 485

Chapter 485

~ TARKYN ~

Tarkyn grunted, pain stabbing through his chest and arms as he swung the spear, but he pressed on. The dirt and gravel crunched under the dry soles of his feet, the dust and sharp stones cutting and splitting the skin. But he ignored the pain as he stood tall once again, brought the spear upright to the guard position and breathed deeply five times before widening his stance and beginning the forms again.

The blindfold he wore stopped his sweat running into his eyes, but covering his ears as it did, not only made his entire body warmer, but muffled his hearing in a deeply disturbing way. But that was the point. The ritual traditions were clear. When Tarkyn had entered the Hallowed Grounds the day before, he’d put himself in the Creator’s hands. He brought his plea to the feet of God, and he sacrificed himself for the answer.

Either the Creator would reveal his mate, or Tarkyn would fall prey to the ends of his physical limits. After over a full day of the forms in the beating sun, even his warrior body was exhausted. He wondered if that was to be his fate.

There was a part of him that would be relieved.

When he turned, his head spun and without his sight, without landmark or horizon to focus upon, his balance went with it. He stumbled sideways and had to catch his weight with a stutter-step to his right.