Mated to the Warrior Beast-Chapter 160 - 160 The Job to Do
160 The Job to Do
~ TARKYN ~ ๐ง๐ฏe๐ฒ๐ฌโฏ๐๐ทo๐ทe๐น.๐๐๐
Heโd stepped too close and gotten too pushy. Elreth did raise her brows at that.
โYou ask me like you have a say in whether I can be here, Tarkyn,โ she snapped.
โNo, I donโt,โ he ground out. โI justโฆ tell me whatโs going on? Why does my mate smell afraid?โ
But Elreth just rolled her eyes. โWhatโs going on is that my brother admitted to his role in getting Zev looseโthanks for not trusting me with that, by the way,โ she said flatly. Tarkyn shot Gar an alarmed lookโhad Gar told Elreth that he was involved? But the male just gave a little shake of his head that Elreth either didnโt notice, or ignored. โBut it looks like there were others at work, too. Someone helped Zev get loose, and took Jayah. We still arenโt sure whether she was hurt, or just taken prisoner. But the fact that the Chimera got inside our patrols is terrifying.โ
Tarkynโs breath stopped. The Chimera had broken through? But the patrolsโฆ Heโd staggered them and given them inconsistent routesโnot to mention the hidden border guards. How could any Chimera without knowledge of the Tree City have reached all the way to the prison trees without being identifiedโunless someone from within the Tree City had helped? Or had someone managed to share information through the link? fre๐๐๐๐noัตel.c๐m
But then, how had they gotten out? Even if they knew the land, to move with a human and child which would slow themโฆ and no one even catching their scent?
Either this Zev was the most skilled and highly sensed tracker Tarkyn had ever met, or someone had helped them. And theyโd taken Jayah? Why Jayah? No one was less of a threat. Unless they had need of a healerโฆ was Zev hurt in ways they didnโt know? Or was it just for their sonโ
But then Elrethโs words broke through. โโฆthe bigger problem we have now is how we deal with it. I wanted to send your mate back to her people to plead for peaceโbut Harth is making the argument for you to go with her, and despite myself, Iโm considering it,โ Elreth finished.
.....
Tarkyn just about lost his feet in shock. โYouโdโฆ trust me to do that?โ
Elreth frowned. โWhy is everyone suddenly convinced that Iโve lost every last brain cell in my head? I was afraid. Iโm still afraid. But Iโm not blind. I know that we need to fix it, and fix it now. I know that you protected your mate just like my mate would protect me. And even though I donโt like it, I accept that it means thereโs little left to decide here other than whether or not you will be allowed to go to the Chimera as our emissary, or asked to stay back and help us plan in case things goโฆ wrong.โ
Tarkyn barely took it inโeverything except the emissary part. They were sending Harth in?
โSend me,โ he said immediately, stepping closer so that Elreth raised her brows again and he was forced to straighten and give her more room. โPlease,โ he amended. โSend me. I know I can reach Zev. I did it in the prisonโand it canโt get harder than that. Weโll find it. Whatever he needs to feelโฆ comfortable. Weโll find it. I know soldiersโand that male is a fighter if I ever met one.โ
โYes, yes, your mate has already made your case on that,โ Elreth muttered with a glance at Gar, then Harth before turning her attention back to Tarkyn. โSo that was the final question: Do you want to go with your mate to meet her people, despite the danger there? Do you want to try to forge peace between our people, even though you risk being taken prisoner yourself?โ
โYes,โ he said without hesitation. โYes.โ
Elreth huffed and shook her head. She looked desperately sad. โWell, then, it seems like there isnโt much of a decision to make. Before you both go, Tarkyn, Iโll take your advice on what our strategy should be to ensure that our people are as safe as possible in traveling and preparing to meet the wolโZev on whatever ground he chooses. And then Iโllโฆ Iโll ask you to pray that I havenโt broken this beyond repair.โ
Tarkyn blinked. โYouโโ
โI understand that I have created most of this conflict,โ Elreth ground out. โAnd Iโm sorry. Iโm sorry I kept you two from each other. Iโm not sorry for treating Zev like a potential threatโbut I am sorry that I reacted so aggressively in the first instance. Iโve seenโฆ seen that there was another way to handle that. Now Iโm praying that Zev will give me a chance to tell him that and try to offer reconciliation.โ
Tarkyn didnโt like the chances of that, but he was so glad, so relieved to hear that Elreth had finally seen her role in this he couldnโt be very angry with her.
His mate on the other handโฆ her scent prickled with stifled, but barely restrained rage.
โOkay. Great. Where do we start?โ Tarkyn said, putting a hand to Harthโs back to remind her he was there.
Elreth looked at Gar, then sighed again. โWe start with the messages Iโm going to ask you two to take to Zev and Sasha. And our strategies for their potential responses. Because according to Harth, Iโve got three days to fix this.โ
โWhatโs happening in three days?โ Tarkyn asked, looking between the three of them.
It was Harth who answered. โZev linked with me when they were passing close enough to reach. Heโs on his way back to the Chimera, and heโsโฆ gathering them toโฆ to defend. In three days if something doesnโt change, heโs going to do something. I donโt know what. He didnโt tell me, but whatever it isโฆ heโs very, very angry,โ Harth said reluctantly.
Tarkynโs heart sank. โThatโs understandable, I suppose.โ
But Harth was holding his eyes, a warning flashing in hers. โNo, Tarkyn,โ she sent through the link. โI donโt want to tell her because I donโt want her to give up on peace, butโฆ Zev told me that unless you come with me back to them, and weโre there within three daysโฆ it will be too late. Because heโs leading the Chimera against this Queen.โ She took a breath and her entire body tensed. โHeโs not going to forgive, or try for peace, Tarkyn. He wants war. He wants Elrethโs head.โ
Tarkynโs blood ran cold.