Page 96 of The Widow and the Orcs

Fora long moment,Ulfarrblinked back toward her, looking blank, almost dazed.Andthen he slowly bent forward, closer over her, so he could — so he could inhale, his nostrils flaring as he drew in deep.Asif he was seeking to prove this, to scent her truth in this…

Andoh gods, maybe he thoughtLouisawas lying, and she pulled in another thick, unsteady breath. “Imean, not to sayKillikstill isn’t an arrogant tyrant,” she said, too quickly, “but he does put on a good show, don’t you think?”

Andcurse her, what was she saying, why was she givingKillikthis, again — and what wasKillikthinking, what was that odd glint in his eyes, flicking from her, toUlfarr, to her again…

“Ach,Ihad naught to do with that woman,”Killikfinally said, his voice flat. “ShewasWolf’salone.Andshewould not allow him to touch any others, either.Mostof all me.”

Oh.JustlikeLouisahadn’t allowedUlfarrto touchKillikeither, at the start of all this.Andthen that woman had takenUlfarraway fromKillik, she’d hurtKillik, and then… then she’d turned around and hurtUlfarr, too.She’dleftUlfarr, and leftKillikto pick up the pieces.

“Well, clearly you’re both better off, then,”Louisasaid, a little too sharp. “Andto be fair to her, she’s probably better off too, because you two probably never would have been able to stay away from each other.You’dhave ended up sneaking around in some dark tunnels somewhere, chaining each other up, while she was stuck at home alone and pregnant!”

Therewas another instant of startled silence,Ulfarr’seyes still blinking with odd intensity onLouisa’sface, whileKillikhuffed a wry chuckle. “Wrong, woman,” he replied. “ForWolfdoes not chainmeup, ach?”

Louisalaughed too, rolling her eyes at him. “Notyet, you mean,” she said, as lightly as she could. “Butnow thatI’vekept my part of the bargain” — she gave a shaky nod down toward where she andUlfarrwere still locked together — “we now have a new show to look forward to.Theone whereyou’restabbed on this huge dagger of his, and screaming for mercy.”

ShegaveKillikher coolest, most complacent smile, as he scoffed and sputtered, jabbing his dagger toward her face. “Youneed toprovethis first, woman,” he snapped. “AndItold you, a trueSkaiwoman does not just swallow her orc’s prick, and sit pretty upon it.Shemust welcome its rutting, and its good strong ploughing!”

Louisascoffed back at him, because gods, he was enraging, he was changing the rules to suit him, like the slimy snake he was.Andshe should be saying all that, demandingKillikkeep his part of the bargain, and instead she was only thinking of…

“But,” she said, and was that a crack in her voice, “we only have — two nights left.Right?”

Yetmore silence followed her voice, falling like a heavy crushing weight, and she couldn’t at all follow that look inKillik’seyes, inUlfarr’seyes.Inhow they were looking at each other, holding too long, too intent — untilUlfarr’seyes squeezed shut, his head jerking a curt nod.

Andblinking up toward him, it occurred toLouisa— for perhaps the first time — thatUlfarrwouldn’t defyKillikin this.Andeven if she had tried to concoct some plan to keep seeingUlfarrafter this, or to steal him away altogether — he wouldn’t have done it.Hecared aboutKilliktoo much, about his family, aboutSune.

AndmaybeLouisashould have been hurt by that, or insulted — but instead it only wrenched the longing deeper.Ulfarrwas such a good father.Sucha good partner.Andshe was going to miss him so much, miss them so much, and she wasn’t going to weep again, she wasn’t —

“Ach, two more nights,”Killikfinally said, into the taut silence. “Twomore nights to show us your mettle, woman.Toprove how you dance, how you beg, how youscream.”

Itsounded hard, merciless, almost menacing — butKillik’seyes were glinting, with a lookLouisaknew all too well.Andsuddenly it caught, clutched, careened through her screeching thoughts.

Becauseit was — it was still the challenge.Wasn’tit?Shehad two more nights to show him.Toprove this.

“Fine, you absolute tyrant,”Louisasaid, breathless, as the hope pounded through her heart. “Twomore nights.”

47

Thatnight,Louisaended up collapsing withKillikandUlfarrin one of the common-room’s beds.Tuckingher body close againstUlfarr’ssolid strength, whileKilliksprawled over them both, his dagger still in hand.

Butjust as she’d been falling asleep, she jolted awake again, staring wide-eyed atKillik’sbemused face. “Mystaff!” she exclaimed. “Icompletely forgot to tell themI’dbe gone so long, and —”

“Naughtto fret over, woman,”Killik’shusky voice cut in, as he gave a gentle tap of his dagger to her back. “Iagain sentHalthorrto them, and he shall stay, and take good care of them.Heswore he would fix your stable roof, also.”

Oh.Louisa’ssmile was swift and relieved, and she even leaned overUlfarr, and pressed a brief, furtive kiss toKillik’scheek. “Thankyou,” she murmured. “Thatwas so thoughtful of you.Asalways.”

Killikrolled his eyes and settled back againstUlfarragain, but his warm hand was still on her back, his cool dagger-blade still nudging against her skin.Andwhile it perhaps should have been unnerving, it was instead a cozy, fluttery feeling, easing her quiet and easy into sleep.Twomore nights.

Thenext morning,LouisajoinedKillikandUlfarrfor their daily prayers — which, it turned out, they usually did together, crouching beneath a huge oak tree just outside the camp, their hands over their hearts.Andwhile praying toSkai-kesh still felt new toLouisa, and a bit unnatural, it was also a lovely, quiet way to greet the day, breathing in the damp morning air, as the orange sun filtered through the trees.

Afterwards, onceKillikandUlfarrhad set to work withSuneon the next newkofi,LouisaandRosabrought up a table to the clearing, and began writing out invitations to their lengthening list ofSkaiSummitguests.Whichincluded not only anyone atOrcMountainwho wanted to attend, but also specific key leaders, likeJuleand her captain mate, and theSkai’sRightHandDrafliand his family.Theguest list also included leaders and members at the otherSkaicamps, and individualSkailiving across the realm,Killik’shealer among them.AndatRosa’surging,Louisaalso personally wrote letters to some of her old friends and contacts inDusbury, too.Peopleshe hadn’t stayed in touch with, but who might — perhaps — still be willing to consider a visit.

Afterthe letters, they turned to their plans for advertising theSummit.Itturned out thatRosa’skin had hauled a large, heavy hand-press all the way here with them, along with a shocking quantity of ink — meaning that they could start printing and distributing signs and flyers without delay.However, that also meant agreeing on the flyers’ messaging, which turned out to more fraught than expected.EspeciallywithKillik— who was still ostensibly working above them on the newkofi— apparently also listening to every word, and frequently dropping down to peer disapprovingly over their shoulders.

“No,” he snapped, upon seeingRosa’slatest preferred flyer — a drawing of a broadly smiling orc with a rope in his hand, and the headlineComeSwing,Spy, andPlaywith theSkai!“No, you vexingKa-esh.Theyshall think we either wish to plough them, or hunt them!Orboth!”

“Well, it’s probably true!”Rosasnapped back, but she crumpled up the draft, and tossed it toward him. “Idon’t see you coming up with anything better!Youhaven’t even given the camp anameyet!”

Killik’smouth pursed, his eyes darting up toward whereUlfarrandSunewere still working on thekofiabove, together with a few other orcs. “Itought to be theWolf-Camp,” he finally replied. “EvenifWolfcannot stay.Andeven ifSimondoes not allow thisSummitat all.”

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