Page 9 of The Widow and the Orcs

Oh.Louisajerked a shrug, and again wiped an impatient hand at her eyes. “Well,Icertainly wouldn’t expect you to interfere,” her shaky voice said. “My— circumstances — have nothing to do with you.Youhave no obligation whatsoever to me, so —”

Sheattempted another shrug, but then twitched at the sight ofKillik’ssudden, vicious glower. “Ach, we do,” he snapped back. “AndI— ought to have said this, last eve.Youhave granted us leave to stay on your lands.Youhave granted safety toSkaiwomen and sons, and given them a home they do not fear, but which is yet near to the refuge of our mountain.Thisis a great gift to theSkai, and one we will not spurn.Onewe do not wish to lose.”

Hiseyes had gone narrow, accusing, and he jabbed his dagger toward her. “Shouldyou not accept my offer, but still allow our camp,” he continued flatly, “we shall yet help you.Weshall feed you, and care for your land.Weshall even dig out your well, should you have need for this.Ach?”

Hesounded angry, even offended, as if — almost as ifLouisahad thought orcs incapable of gratitude, of paying their dues, or honouring their debts.Ofcoming to an agreement that benefited all sides.AndLouisawinced at the realization of it — had she thought such things? — and again rubbed at her stinging eyes, shaking her head back and forth.

“I— thank you for that,” she said thinly, without looking at him. “Ididn’t mean to offend, especially after — but wait.Howdid you know the well needed to be dug?”

Shedropped her hands, frowning at whereKillikwas now looking past her, and giving a too-casual shrug. “Sodoes this alter your choice?” he demanded. “Ifyou ken you yet have all this — do you yet wish for my offer?”

Right.Theten nights.Hisunhappy kin-brother.Himpaying off her debts.AndLouisadragged in a shaky breath as she looked at him, as she fought to work it through, fought not to think about the stone still shoved down beneath her blanket.

Evenif the orcs kept helping her, feeding and supporting her, it still wouldn’t be… enough.Wouldit?Itwouldn’t protect her land.Itwouldn’t pay her mortgages, or her expenses, or her staff.Itwouldn’t give her freedom to live her own damned life, and escape the scourge ofLordScall, forever.

“Look,Iappreciate the — clarification,” she finally said, towardKillik’sflinty eyes. “Butit’s been almost five years since my husband died, and no matter whatIdo,I’mstill — haunted by him.Byhis fool debts, and his fool nephew, and his —”

Shewinced, shook her head, drew in another unsteady breath. “Iwant to move past it,” she croaked. “Iwant to forget it.Iwant to own my own land, and run my own life, and make my own choices, on my own terms.Iwant some fuckingpeace.Andif you really can give me all that, in exchange for ten nights” — she lifted her chin, held his eyes — “then yes.Istill want it.”

Killikhad listened to all this in blank, unblinking silence, his body rigid, his dagger still pointed toward her.Andshe couldn’t at all read the look in his eyes now, whether it was anger, or comprehension, or… regret.

“Butdoyoustill want it?”Louisaasked him, sharper than before. “Orhave you changedyourmind?”

Killik’seyes shifted again, this time slipping into unmistakable coolness, or even contempt. “Ach, woman,” he drawled. “Ihave come here to you again this eve, just asIsworeIwould, becauseIhavechanged my mind.”

Itwas the mockery again, andLouisaglared back toward him, even as he barked a harsh laugh, and gave an angry roll of his eyes. “Ach,Ioftchange my mind, afterIspend many moons making a plan,” he spat. “AfterIhave wasted the better part of a year seeking out a woman who will not play the fool with me, or ask me witless questions.Awoman whoIcanmayhapbear in my wolf’s bed!”

Theviciousness scraped through his voice, through the room, raw and betraying — and asLouisastared back at him, it occurred to her that hewasangry.Hehadn’t expected her to accept.Orhe’d at least held out hope that she wouldn’t, and then he’d be able to rest assured that he’d tried.He’dmade his best attempt, he’d sought to offer his kin-brother — hiswolf?— something he’d known he’d wanted.Somethinghe’d thought might help.

ButKillikhadn’t actually wanted it, himself.Hedidn’twantto share his partner — his wolf — withLouisa.Hedidn’t want her in his bed, or in his life.Andgods, he’d openly told her as much yesterday, hadn’t he?

Ihave no wish for you.Ionly wish for you for him.Andonce this is done,Ishall have naught more to do with you…

Moremiserable wretchedness churned inLouisa’sgut, along with the familiar flash of her temper, because how — how — had she forgotten that?Howhad she somehow begun to think of this orc — ofKillik— being part of it, too?Ofhim being tangled up in this, with his beautiful lean body, his long fingers, his crackling expressive eyes.Andno, hell no, what the hell had come over her, she did not need him, she did not want him, she didnot—

“Well,I’mafraid you won’t have to trouble yourself any further,”Louisasaid, as coldly as she could. “Becauseas it turns out,I’vechanged my mind, after all.Ihave no desire to come between you and your precious…wolf.Andmostcertainlyno desire to tolerate your mockery and contempt, just because you’re furious thatIaccepted an offeryoumade to me!Anofferyousupposedly spent all that time planning!”

Somethingflickered inKillik’shard eyes, butLouisadrew in breath, drew up more of her own fury and contempt. “Didit notonceoccur to such a clever orc as yourself that your carefully selected target might actuallyacceptyour offer?” she demanded. “Thatyour brilliant plan might actuallywork?Thatyou might actuallyneedto share your wolf, though you clearly aren’t willing to offer him any fidelity of your own?!”

Killikkept staring at her, his sharp claws flexing on his dagger-hilt, his body’s tautness coiling into something new, something dangerous.Andhe was slowly rising to his feet, oh hell, andLouisalurched up too, her head raised, her hands in fists, as the determination thundered dark and bitter in her belly.No.No.

“Sowe’re finished here, orc,” she hissed. “Nowput that dagger away, and get the hell out.”

Hervoice rang through the room, loud and decisive, and for a silent, staring moment,Louisawas certain she’d finished this.She’dwon, for good.Becausethat wasn’t just danger, now, flickering acrossKillik’seyes.Itwas… gratefulness.Relief.Andhis lean body even angled toward the window again, as if he was about to run for it, and leap away to safety.Toa world where he didn’t need to share his wolf with an unwanted, unattractive, impoverished woman like her.

Butthen,Killik… stilled.Closedhis eyes.Andinhaled, slow and purposeful, his head turning towardLouisa’sbed.Towardwhere it was still messy and rumpled, because she’d been too distracted to tidy it that morning, and —

Killiklurched toward it in a sharp movement, his dagger sweeping down, and flicking up against the blanket.Tossingit backwards, away, to reveal…

No.Oh, no, no,no.Thedamned stonereplica, still lying there whereLouisahad shoved it the night before.Andcurse her, why hadn’t she thought to hide it, to hurl it down the latrine when she’d had the chance — and even as she belatedly lunged for it,Killikhad already swiped it up, and brought it to his nose.

Hewas…smellingit.

Theshame and alarm surged hot and miserable inLouisa’schest, in her face, and she again lunged for the stone — foolish,foolish, becauseKillikonly snapped his long arm upwards, holding the stone fully out of her reach.Andsomehow it leftLouisatouching him, clutching stupidly at his arm, while he gazed down at her with smug, disdainful mockery.

Damnit.Damnit.Louisashould have reeled backwards again, shoved him away, accepted that she’d lost this round after all.Sowhy was she just clutching at his arm again, still fighting him for this, jostling their bodies too tight together.Feelingthat lean implacable hardness of his chest, the strength of his arm beneath her fingers, the heat of his skin against hers.Thesmell of him, musky and rich, curling up between them, filling her gasping breaths…

“Yourepugnantrodent,” she choked, far too late, through her closed-off throat. “Youhaveno right.”

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