Page 8 of The Orc's Oath

Cerys snorted, and I stretched out again. There was something my mother had told me once. The best way to get over a crush was to get to know the person. Not the fantasy image of them you have in your head. Not with the excuses you make for a person you like. Just raw reality. Get to know them and take them as they are. It had always worked in the past. Most men turned out to be disappointing or judgmental. Really seeing all their flaws always took the shine off them. That was what I had to do here. And a part of me was curious why he had started getting into frequent fights after years of only occasional spats. My brain wouldn't let that go. I had to get to the bottom of how he was behaving, then my mind could stop focusing on him. I could continue waiting for my mate. His words ran back through my mind.

I don't smell like iron and blood.

I sniffed myself. No unpleasant smells. I'd put extra perfume on this morning anyway. Just in case.

"Well, looks like we have a fresh batch to worry about," Cerys said.

She was looking out the window down to the prisoner entrance.

"We've barely gotten a handle on the last lot," I moaned.

It was going to be a long week. But I was determined to squeeze in more time with Orzesh.

Chapter 7

Orzesh

My body had been raging with lust for my tiny human mate. I had passed her trials so far. But I had not yet earned the right to pleasure myself with thoughts of her. Holding back required a strength I didn't know I had. It felt like my cock was aching and I couldn't catch my breath without her. I stood at the door to my cell and looked around to distract myself.

New prisoners had arrived and were milling around. Everyone's eyes focused on one place. The huge minotaur. Not entirely minotaur, I thought, the ears and the color were different. I assessed him from head to toe quickly. He was thick with muscle and by far the biggest monster here, moving with balance and a certain grace which told me he was an experienced fighter. No eye contact with fellow inmates or guards. He wasn't interested in interacting with anyone or proving anything.

There was also a lich standing in the corner that hadn't been here for breakfast. A skeletal head peered out of a black hooded robe. He was old and his skin had become see through. People and monsters alike were wary of liches. But I saw nothing threatening about him. Still, you could never really tell with the undead. He caught me watching him, and empty eye sockets bored into me. I flashed him a grin. I think what his translucent lips did was a smile back. Sometimes that was all it took to make an ally. It never hurt to have people on your side. Especially if they could drain the life force from someone with one touch.

Lunch was far too small again, and my stomach grumbled at the pitiful, tasteless vegetables. Boiled to within an inch of their life, and no meat to be seen.

The hyena guard and bald one turned up afterwards to take me back to the therapy room. My blood burned in my veins with the excitement of seeing my mate again. I puffed myself up to be as big as possible as I entered the room.

She sat quietly in the chair. The pleasure of seeing her was no less than yesterday. Another red dress covered her. I yearned to rip it off her and see what lay beneath.

Something about the energy in the room shifted. My mate's eyes seemed uneasy, but they weren't looking at me. She focused on the ground, trying to avoid noticing something. I turned to the hyena guard; he was watching her intently. There was nothing good in his gaze. I growled, and he flinched before scuttling out of the room. The bald guard shot me a sneer before following him. Unworthy wretches. They both stank of dishonor. I turned back to my mate. My Serena. Her body was closed in. Small. Like she was trying to shrink into invisibility and hold her emotions tight to her.

"Would you like me to kill him?"

My Uk'lah's head snapped up and her eyes connected with mine, her brows furrowed.

"What?"

"The blond guard. He makes you uneasy. He is like a hyena, watching for someone to prey upon. I will kill him for you."

I pulled myself up even taller. I would gift her his head on a stick.

"WHAT? No. Don't kill a guard. Are you out of your mind?"

"I am simply making an offer to you. You are displeased?"

Her response was confusing. She seemed horrified by the idea.

"I can deal with him myself."

"Of course."

I grinned at her. Despite being human, my mate wanted to fight her own battles and make her own kills. Pride welled up inside me. I was confident someone with such orc spirit would defeat the hyena. Perhaps she would gift his head to me.

"Please sit, Orzesh."

"I think now you can call me Zesh."

"Zesh? You prefer that?"

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