When the Moon Hatched
by Sarah A. Parker
Contents
Chapter 83
Overview
Kaan meets Rekk Zharos under truce and finds that Rekk has brought an abused, sun-burned Moonplume to the Stronghold, nearly pushing Kaan into open violence. Instead of breaking the truce, Kaan seizes control of the situation, orders care for the Moonplume, and keeps Rekk restrained and under guard.
Rekk reveals that he is hunting the missing Princess Kyzari for Tyroth, tying his arrival to wider political danger. The chapter sharpens Kaan's personal hatred of Rekk while showing that even under extreme provocation, Kaan must balance rage, diplomacy, and the threat of war.
Summary
Kaan hurries through the Stronghold with armed guards after learning that Rekk Zharos has arrived as an emissary under truce, riding a Moonplume. On the isolated landing patch at hutch twenty-seven, Kaan finds the beast in terrible condition: the Moonplume is blistered and bleeding from sun exposure, too weak and terrified to move from a small patch of shade. Rekk tries to force the creature forward with Bulder commands and spurred heels, which makes Kaan's anger surge.
Kaan steps in, clears the keepers back, and openly threatens Rekk when Rekk prepares to drive more cracks into the stone beneath the Moonplume. Rygun appears overhead, ready to attack, and Kaan uses the threat of his Sabersythe to force Rekk to dismount and stop abusing the animal. Once Rekk is on the ground, the Moonplume nearly snaps at him, confirming how badly the bond has broken down.
When Rekk demands that Kaan's people move the Moonplume, Líri, into shelter and bring a Fleshthread to repair her wings, Kaan agrees to give her water, food, shade, and healing help. Kaan lies about how long the healer will take, because he does not want Rekk to know he can act quickly. Rekk dismisses Líri as worthless and says she is now Kaan's problem, but Kaan makes clear that he values the creature far more than Rekk's judgment.
As the confrontation continues, Kaan notices that Rekk is missing the tip of a finger and confirms that Raeve was the one who bit it off. Rekk also mentions hearing that Kaan's beast was near Raeve's execution, forcing Kaan to hide his true knowledge and feelings behind a lie. The exchange sharpens Kaan's hatred while also showing that Rekk may know more about past events than is safe.
Finally, Kaan demands to know why Rekk has come. Rekk reveals that he is hunting the missing Princess Kyzari on Tyroth's orders. Kaan says Kyzari is not in the city, but he refuses to let Rekk move freely through the kingdom: Rekk is put in iron cuffs, his belongings are taken under watch, and Kaan insists that any search happen under heavy escort. By the chapter's end, Kaan preserves the truce, protects Líri, and keeps a dangerous enemy contained inside his own walls.
Who Appears
- KaanImperial ruler who confronts Rekk, protects Líri, and contains the truce without starting a war.
- Rekk ZharosBounty hunter emissary who arrives with an abused Moonplume and admits Tyroth sent him after Kyzari.
- LíriRekk's injured Moonplume, badly burned by sun exposure and abandoned as a burden.
- RygunKaan's Sabersythe, summoned as a deadly threat against Rekk during the standoff.
- TyrothKyzari's father, revealed as the one who hired Rekk to track her down.
- KyzariMissing princess whose disappearance drives Rekk's mission into Kaan's kingdom.
- RaeveAbsent but central to Kaan's thoughts; previously mutilated Rekk and remains a volatile concern.
- ColetGuard who provides and locks the iron cuffs onto Rekk.