Page 8 of Hostile Holiday

Hunter nodded and then paused. “I haven’t sent any female combatants in recently.”

He felt a cool ripple through his soul. “But I did send a guest through.”

He swiftly walked to the viewing room and opened the available windows, and there were eighteen battles with a novice female. “Shit.”

He looked through her records to find out why they had disregarded her mark of protection, and there was a tiny note.The ring was seen after the contract had been signed. Thesweater obscured her hand. She was willing to proceed in the arena.

Hunter sighed and checked the roster. Only the eighteen fights were available, and the final fight had a familiar figure.

“Sir, is everything okay?”

“She was a guest and needed help, but she seems to have more savagery than I gave her credit for.” He turned to walk out back. “I have to return to the arena for her next challenge.”

“Why?”

He shifted to his anthropomorphic form. “Because I am not letting anyone destroy her.”

He faced the acres of forest that was his and his alone. “We will be back this evening, Yesoff.”

“We?”

“If she has made it to high tier, she is ready to learn how to use her magic. That has to be done in this realm.”

Yesoff looked at him. “What size is she?”

“Why?”

“She is going to come from the arena dressed for battle. She will need normal clothing if you don’t want to craft them for her.”

Hunter nodded. “She is medium or perhaps large. She was tall but very slender.”

“How tall?”

He held his hand up to Yesoff’s nose. “There.”

Yesoff nodded. “Do you know her name?”

“It is Orla, but her family is trying to kill her, so you may want to avoid notifications.”

His butler nodded. “Right. I will be circumspect and simply say that your... cousin is arriving if anyone asks.”

“Fair enough. Excuse me.” Hunter opened a frost portal and stepped in.

The palace was just as he remembered it. The staff were quiet and acknowledged his arrival, but he got his light armour from his closet and fastened it over his furry chest. If she had made it through eighteen battles, she could use a sword.

He checked the timing, and it was dawn. He had got in just in time. With rapid strides and short nods to the staff at the palace, he headed for the arena. He had to keep any of the upper tiers from coaxing her into positions she didn’t want.

Going over the protective instinct in him was something he would do later. For now, the little lady needed an intervention.

He walked to the arena entrance with organizers scrambling out of the way. When he entered the arena, he saw the small form of the woman staring up at the massive orc who was leering down at her. Hunter let out a low growl, and the orc whipped around. Denmos stared at him. “Um, sir?”

“Go.”

“Right.”

Orla looked at him and cocked her head. “A switch?”

He knew the smile didn’t show on his canine face, but he said, “I haven’t bottomed before, but if you are persuasive, I am willing to give it a try.”

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