Page 64 of Bound to the Orc Guardian

But every crystal I touch does the same thing, trickling power into a different part of my body. By the time I finish all of the ones on the floor, there’s not a part of me that hasn’t been “tickled” inside.

I get on my knees and start on the crystals protruding from the bottom of the walls. It takes a few minutes to realize the work is now effortless, my body no longer feeling tired, my magical “nerves” no longer crispy.

We continue to work until we fill Sturrm’s bag with crystals, but there are still more left in the cave.

“That’s all we can carry.” He straps the bulging bag to Dash’s back.

“Funny how easily you say that when it’s not you doing the carrying,” the unicorn says, amusement coloring his voice.

“I can take the rest,” Bella says.

I ask, “How?”

“You’ll see.” She bobs her head, then gets back to work on the ceiling. “Keep plucking crystals.”

We’ve got a system down by now. I do the lower walls, Dash takes the middle of the walls, Sturrm takes their highest part, and Bella does the ceiling. Soon all of the red light in the room is concentrated on the glowing pile of crystals in the middle of the floor.

As soon as I add the last one to it, Bella reaches out to grasp as many as she can. Then her clawed footdisappearsinto a place right beside her stomach.

“Oh! You’ve got one of those, too.” I step closer. “Can you explain what it is?”

“Dragons don’t like to be encumbered by packs and things.” She throws a dismissive glance toward Dash,

He rolls his eyes. “These aren’tmythings. Shoot your side-eye at the orc.”

She ignores him and continues. “So one of them found a way for us to each create a place only we can access.”

“How big is it?” I ask.

She shrugs, her wings rustling on her back, and scoops up another fistful of crystals. “As big as I need it to be.”

“Mierda! That’s amazing!” I want one—it’s the ultimate pocketbook.

“Of course it is.” She bobs her head. “I’m a dragon, and we’re—”

“—superior beings.” Dash rolls his eyes. “Yes, we all know.”

Sturrm pulls out his glow stone, lighting the room as more of the crystals disappear into Bella’s magical purse.

I reach out and snag one for myself, shoving it into my pocket. “I think we should keep a few of these for more than the deathsleep antidote. I think they also help with magical burnout.”

Sturrm’s head whips around. In two strides, he’s right in front of me, his big hands grasping my shoulders to pull me upright as his eyes scour over me. Concern radiates off him in waves of warmth I want to bask in forever. “You’re feeling better?”

“I am.”

His frown dissolves into a smile that makes him more handsome than ever.

My heart skips as I grin back. Dios mio, I love how much he takes care of me, how much he notices every little thing about me, how much he cares about me.

I lovehim.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Sturrm

Selena beams up at me, her copper eyes shining with so much warmth it’s as if the sun has risen in this deep cave.

Seeing her restored to her usual good spirits soothes my soul, and I smile back, finally able to enjoy obtaining the crystals. Knowing they helped her recover makes them all the more precious.

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