Page 78 of Bound to the Orc Renegade

The next day is much the same. We ride hard, heading directly toward orc lands instead of in the direction we came from. I still feel like shit, everything in my body tender and aching, my muscles heavy, my magic a sluggish swirl of depleted energy.

A single night’s sleep fully revived Krivoth—he doesn’t even seem to notice his injury, even though it must bother him at least a little. But it if does, the pain gets buried under all his dreams of the future.

“I can’t wait for us to get to Elmswood Keep. That’s where King Aldronn and his guard live. That’s where we’ll live now that I’ve completed my quest.”

“Don’t you meanourquest,” Storm grumps.

Krivoth ignores him. “I haven’t been there yet myself, but everyone says it’s the finest castle in all of Alarria.”

“Because it’s the only castle,” Mist says, tone amused. “What use have Wild Fae for castles? I’m surprised the orcs built one. Perhaps you’re more like your cousin the elves than you like to think.”

Krivoth growls, and Mist looks at us, grinning her Cheshire-Cat smile.

Before she can stir up anything more, I ask, “And the other humans live at the castle?”

“No, Olivia and Ashley live in Moon Blade Village.”

“That’s where you’re from!” I recognize the name.

“Yes.”

“So… we’re not going to live there.”

His arms tighten around me. “We’ll live at thecastle.”

“I’m sure it’ll be great,” I hurry to say. “It’s just… I’d like to see the other women sometimes.”

“Oh, don’t worry. As soon as my guard duties allow me, I’ll take you to Moon Blade Village. All will meet my amazing bride.”

“And what will I do at Elmswood Keep? Will I be a guard, too?” I lift my hands and pretend to use my push power. “I can help fight.”

“I don’t know.” A note of uncertainty enters his voice for the first time today. “What would you like to do?”

Oh, god. Good question. I haven’t really thought about the future. The quest kind of took over my life the moment I got here. I mean, my gamer-girl brain loves quests. But what am I going to do now?

Storm leaps over a log, and Krivoth uses the strong grip of his thighs to secure us both in the saddle. Mist bounds at our side as we travel to some place new. Everyone’s excited by the success of our quest. It’s the thing I always loved about gaming—how all your hard work pays off. And it’s always best when done with friends, working together in a team you can trust.

Also, this wasn’t pixels on a screen—we did somethingreal. We got the violet trifolia that will save people from the sluagh’s deathsleep! That’s effing amazing!

“I want this,” I say, certainty filling me. “I want the four of us traveling and having adventures and doing important things.”

“Usually, only rangers go out exploring. The king’s guard stays with him. He does travel quite a bit from one orc village to the next. If you join the guard, you’ll get to see them all. If not, you can stay at the castle while I’m gone,” Krivoth says. “It’ll all work out. You’ll see. I’ll finally have a good position, which means I’ll be able to make you happy, no matter what.”

I force myself to nod, still digesting all of this. I don’t know exactly what I can be in this new world, but I’m pretty sure I don’t want to sit around a castle all day.

After lots more pampering and another good night’s sleep, I start to feel better. In fact, riding in Krivoth’s arms today starts to feel good in a whole new way. The hand on my stomach becomes a tease of what those big fingers can do. The hard body at my back promises all the power and stamina I could ever want. And boy, do Iwant. I want him on top of me, over me, his whole body taking mine.

The thought of it makes everything tingle, and I squirm. My butt brushes against him, and I feel him grow hard, so I squirm again.

Krivoth growls behind me, his hand shifting until his thumb brushes the underside of my breast.

I gasp and lean forward, my nipple aching for his tou—

“We can hear you, you know,” Storm says, turning his head for a second to glare with an icy blue eye. “You’re on myback, for goddess’ sake.”

Mist purr-laughs, the sound made even more irregular by the movement of her run. “And smell you, too.”

“You’re not exactly discreet,” the unicorn says. “But then one of you is an orc, so I suppose discreet is too much to hope for.”

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