Page 32 of Caged By the Lich

"You will not speak of her," I growl.

Kravos wipes blood from his mouth, his eyes glowing with malice. Before I can react, he launches a surprise magical attack.

I don't think. I just move.

In an instant, I'm in front of Astrid, my body shielding hers as the blast of energy hits me square in the chest. Pain explodes through me, but all I can think is: She's safe. She's okay.

With a roar of fury, I lunge at Kravos. My hands wrap around his throat, squeezing until I feel the satisfying crunch of bone. His body goes limp, and I let it fall to the floor.

The room is dead silent. I turn to face the others, my voice cold as ice. "Let this be a message. You do not threaten what's mine. Now get out. All of you."

They scramble to obey, leaving only Astrid and me in the aftermath of chaos.

I guide Astrid to a nearby chair, my hands still shaking with residual adrenaline. She winces as she sits, and I feel a surge of protective fury. Kravos is lucky he's already dead.

"Are you hurt?" I ask, my voice rougher than I intend.

She shakes her head, but I see the small cut on her cheek, a trickle of blood marring her pale skin. Without thinking, I reach for a clean cloth and dip it in water.

"Hold still," I murmur, gently cupping her face with one hand as I dab at the cut with the other.

Astrid's breath hitches, and I realize how close we are. I can feel the warmth of her skin, see the flecks of gold in her green eyes. That incessant need that I felt the first night I saw her — and every subsequent day — stirs again, and I struggle to keep my hand steady.

"Thank you," she whispers, her gaze locked on mine. "For protecting me."

I swallow hard, trying to ignore the way her proximity affects me. "It's nothing," I say gruffly, but we both know it's a lie.

As I clean the cut, I notice Astrid's breathing becoming shallow, her pulse visibly quickening at her throat. I'm not faring much better, hyper-aware of every point of contact between us.

At least I'm not the only one reacting.

But it's building and building, and I swear a single spark and this room would go up in flames. I'm wound so tight I feel likemy muscles are going to snap. And Astrid's pulse is hammering at her throat.

"Olvaar," she says softly, and I freeze.

It's been so long since anyone's used my full name. It sounds different coming from her lips - softer, more intimate. Not the fearsome title I've cultivated, but something... more.

"I like it when you call me that," I admit, surprising myself with the honesty.

Astrid's lips curve into a small smile. "Olvaar," she repeats, as if testing it out. "It suits you better than V."

I chuckle, the tension easing slightly. "Don't let that get around. I have a reputation to maintain."

She meets my gaze, all the desire burning there and begging me to give in. To take her. To do whatever I want with my little prisoner, knowing she'll fight like a rebel and we'll both love it.

But the magic that hit me burns and there's a dead body on the floor, so instead I stand, offer her my hand. "How about some tea?"

15

ASTRID

Icurl up on the couch in Olvaar's office, his blanket tucked around my shoulders. The fabric is soft against my skin, and I can't help but breathe in his scent, that rich spice that's becoming disturbingly familiar.

My mind races, replaying the events of the attack over and over. Olvaar's body shielding mine, the raw power emanating from him as he dispatched Lord Kravos...

I swallow hard, trying to reconcile the ruthless demon lord with the man who just saved my life. My feelings are a tangled mess, gratitude warring with lingering fear and something else I'm not ready to name.

But I was willing to relax on using his nickname. It felt wrong to keep calling him something that everyone else called him. Not to mention that it didn't suit him at all. It was…so mean. So wrong.

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