Page 25 of The Widow and the Orcs

Itall sounded heavy in his voice, weighing down his big shoulders, andLouisasought her way through it, fought to find some kind of answer. “Um, well,I’vebeen learning to hunt lately, too,” she said, as steadily as she could. “Butit certainly isn’t easy, even with small game.Justthis afternoon,Ialmost managed to get sprayed by a skunk!Ibet youreallywould have enjoyed coming back here again, after that.”

Sheattempted a rueful smile atUlfarr’sface, and was rewarded by a twitch of amusement — or maybe even interest — in his dark eyes. “Whatdo you hunt with?” he asked, and that might have been genuine interest in his voice, too. “Abow?Orblades?”

Louisalet out another breath, her smile coming easier this time. “Imake attempts with both,” she replied, “butI’msure they’re probably quite ramshackle, compared to what you likely use.”

Sheaimed a wry glance towardKillik’sbright, gleaming dagger, which was now pointed toward her face — but wait,Killikhimself had leaned down over her, and plucked something off her belt.Something— oh.Herknife, which she’d entirely forgotten she was still wearing, until this moment.

“Thisis not bad, woman,”Killiksaid, assessing the knife with a critical eye, before silently holding it out towardUlfarr.Whocarefully releasedLouisa’shand, and then proceeded to inspect the knife with surprising care.Balancingit on his palm, spinning it in his fingers, and even taking his time smelling it, before dragging a black claw down the sharp edge.

“Ach, it has a good heft and balance,”Ulfarrsaid, with a nod towardLouisa. “Andit scents of many kills, which speaks to your skill.Iken it only needs sharpening, to better serve you.”

Really?Louisa’ssmile back toward him felt genuine, even grateful — and her hand found his again, giving it an impulsive squeeze.ButUlfarr’swarm fingers willingly curled around hers, his eyes soft on her face.Lookingalmost appreciative, almost… hungry, and above themKilliksnorted, and snatchedLouisa’sknife back out ofUlfarr’sslack hand.

“Ach, this does need sharpening,” he said coolly, as he went and picked up his chair, and brought it back to set beside the bed. “Andthus,Ishall sit and play with your weapon, woman, if” — he flashed her a smug smile as he dropped onto the chair — “you now play withhis.”

Wait.Wait, he meantUlfarr, he wantedLouisato play withUlfarr’sweapon— and curse her, butLouisa’smouth twitched, her eyes darting amused toUlfarr’sface.Towhere he almost,almostsmiled back, even as that familiar unease simmered through his eyes.Instantlycalling up the bitter memories of the night before, of all that painful awkwardness, of how he’d jumped up and left…

Buthe was still here with her, still clasping her hand, andKillikwas still here, too.Hispresence still strangely reassuring, even as he leaned back in his chair, and began tossing what appeared to be a small whetstone in his hand.

“Didyou not hear me, woman?” he demanded atLouisa, his brows imperiously raised. “Liehim down, and take out his prick.Withcare.”

Thehunger bloomed sharp and sudden inLouisa’sbelly, tinged with rising alarm — butKillikkept gazing at her like that, waiting.Wantingher to turn towardUlfarr, to nudge his shoulder with a trembling hand…

Andyes, yes,Ulfarrexhaled, nodded, and… obliged.Sinkingdown heavy to lie on his back on the bed, even as his eyes stayed dark and uneasy onLouisa’sface.

Thememories of the night before again felt too close, too strong — andLouisacouldn’t help an anxious look downwards, toward where there wasn’t even the slightest bulge inUlfarr’strousers.ButKillikcleared his throat, loud and meaningful, and whenLouisaglanced up, he was glowering at her, and jabbing her own knife toward her face.

“Withcare,” he snapped again, harder this time. “Youmust be tender with his prick, and patient.Youmust treat it as the sweetSkaiprize it is.”

Louisatwitched a nod, and darted a brief, searching glance towardUlfarr’sface — toward where his cheeks were flushed, his mouth tight, his eyes flicking nervously between her andKillik.Asif he still expected her to refuse, or reject him, or maybe… maybe even mock him.

SoLouisasquared her shoulders, and attempted another smile as she dropped her shaky hand toUlfarr’strousers. “I—I’lltry,” she said, as she tugged at the thick chain of his belt with tingling, twitching fingers. “Butplease do tell me ifI—”

She’dloosened the chain, and gently drew it aside, pulling the front ofUlfarr’strousers open.Revealingthe sight of his scarred grey lower belly, the thickening spread of black hair, and then… his bare, exposed cock.

Itwas surprisingly small and stubby, lying soft and slack against his hip.Butit wasn’t the size that caughtLouisa’sbreath, or set her hands spasming against his trousers.

Itwas… the scars.

15

Louisahad never seen scars like this in her life.Massesof white and black and green, mottled and latticed, spread all over that soft swell of skin.

Butdeepest of all, cut straight acrossUlfarr’sbase, was a thick, gouging line, with multiple more lines and breaks fraying off from it.Asthough…

Asthough someone had tried tocut it off.Asthough he had almost been…skinned.

“W-what happened?!”Louisa’sbreathless voice choked, before she could possibly stop it. “Thiswasn’t done — onpurpose?!”

Ulfarrflinched, jolted, as if about to lurch upwards, away, out of the bed entirely — but wait,Killikjerked forward, too.Hiseyes narrowing sharply onLouisa’sface, as his hand snapped out, and clutched atUlfarr’sneck.Circlingit with astonishing ease, as if to hold him there on the bed, to trap him in place.Tomake him stay.

AndUlfarr… didn’t fight it.Didn’tresist.Andinstead, he seemed to relax beneath it, his eyes squeezing shut, his big body sagging back into the bed.

“Theseare old wounds,”Killiksaid toLouisa, his eyes flashing, his voice curt. “Andthere is naught you need to ask about them, beyond how best to handle him, and avoid bringing him pain.Ach?”

Thequestions kept swirling throughLouisa’sfrantic thoughts — what the hell had happened toUlfarr?Whothe hell had done such a thing?Andsurely it was related to his mysterious past, too?

Butshe was already wincing and nodding, silently pleading her apology toKillik’snarrow eyes.TowhichKillikjerked a nod back, and then releasedUlfarr’sneck. “Now, try this again, woman,” he snapped. “Gently.”

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