Page 16 of The Orc's Oath

"There's nothing wrong with being who you are, Serena. I know you love your parents, but maybe who you are, passion and all, is okay. And maybe your mate is someone who will help you be more yourself and not someone who changes you. The only thing that is wrong is the expectation your family placed on you."

Feelings bubbled up inside me. Too many to process. More than ever, I felt the claustrophobia of the box I had spent my entire life trying to cram myself into. My parents were good people. But they were so different from me. So placid and soothing. I’d been all energy and noise and impulsive reactions. Temper and enthusiasm. I'd pushed all that down for so long now. Tried to fit better in my own family.

"There's something else, Heather. Something worse."

"Oh? What?"

"He thinks I don't believe he is strong enough. That he hasn't proved himself to me yet."

"Oh, dear. That is a problem."

My stomach sank. Heather poured me a glass of wine, and I gulped it down. I had to sort this out with him tomorrow. To fix it before he did something ridiculous to prove himself to me. He didn't need to prove anything. Not to me. As soon as Heather had said it, I knew that not only was it true, but I was happy about it. I wanted him. There was a connection between us. I took another large mouthful of wine.

"Heather, you are going to need to tell me all about this… mating fight thing."

Chapter 11

Orzesh

Some sort of lockdown interrupted the next morning. No alarms sounded, but we were locked in our cells for a while. Everything around here seemed to break easily. Once it was over I saw a troll gathering a couple others around him. The shadow demon joined and gave me what might have been a pointed look. It's hard to tell on a face that mostly looks like a void. I walked over.

"I'm going to take down that minotaur. Are you with me?"

The troll handed me some pathetic prison shank. I resisted snorting. He was going to get himself killed. But maybe this was my chance to prove myself to my mate once and for all. I couldn't have the one person who meant the most to me doubting if I was a mate who could protect her. She needed to know I would do anything for her, endure anything. I nodded. When the others weren't looking, I whispered to Bloodletter.

"Away."

He flew off into a high corner of the prison block and curled up as small as he could on a wooden ledge. He'd be safe there.

The troll strolled into the minotaur's cell, and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes as he threatened him. The minotaur seemed resigned to it. I looked him up and down. I'd seen he wasn't a full minotaur, but now I could make the differences out better. The ears looked bat-like and his fur was glossy black. I'd fought bat monsters before. We eventually made a tense peace. They were clever. And confident. They'd once been considered gods, and never forgot it. Add all that to minotaur strength, and he would be a formidable opponent. He'd hear me moving before most monsters could see it. I'd need to rely on pure brute strength.

"We don't like your sort," the troll wheezed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Oh yeah, we are."

The minotaur took the troll down quickly. It was honestly embarrassing. He hadn't killed him, and he easily could have. Everyone else looked awkward as they realized how tough their opponent was. I watched him for a moment. The thought of my mate flashed through my mind. I had to prove myself worthy of her. Then she could feel safe with me.

"Who's next?"

I charged forward and gave him a shove before quickly slashing the blade I was holding as a test of how quick he was. He didn't even try to dodge out of the way, so I caught his chest. I threw the blade to one side. I didn't need it and it was dishonorable to fight an unarmed opponent with a weapon. He was strong, and he knew it. He would not dodge and duck. I had to go in fast and see how he responded. I laid punch after punch on him, swinging my arms in large powerful arcs. He roared. He was getting mad. I laughed with glee as the adrenaline flowed through me. He finally pushed me back and landed a good one on my face. Glorious pain flowed through me. I was alive in that way that only combat and pain can bring. I roared back at him. Part of me wanted to truly let go. To let the rage in. I hadn't raged in a very long time. But I was here to prove myself, not to kill one of us. This wasn't a war. I caught him with a solid one in the gut, but didn't account for those horns. He stabbed me in the side. Not deep; he wasn't trying to kill me either. I yanked him back, and we resumed punching. My muscles ached with the thrill of working. No one else had given me a fight like this since I came to prison. Energy flowed through me. It would take a lot to tire me out.

Finally, he dodged and gave me a shove, sending me sprawling. It was a good move. Change up your fighting style to throw your opponent off balance. I looked at his face. He looked exasperated. I got the sense he was done with fighting me. I paused too long waiting to see what he was going to do, and he grabbed me by the legs, pulling me upside down and clear off the ground.

"Oi."

This was a new move. No one on the battlefield had ever hung me upside down. Before I could swing out to land him one in the nuts, I felt myself falling. Everything went black.

I awoke to find myself in the hospital. The minotaur was out cold at the other end; he'd probably been shocked by his collar. A guard loitered nearby.

"Ere."

The guard looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

"Can you send a message to my therapist?"

Surprise crossed the guard's face. Whatever he'd been expecting me to say it wasn't that.

---