Page 29 of Bound to the Orc Warrior

“Have you ever cooked over a fire?”

“Do s’mores count? Because I’m really good at s’mores.” They were always the highlight of my camping trips with Dad when I was little, and they helped make me popular in high school whenever we partied in the woods.

“S’mores?” Wranth says carefully.

“It’s a dessert and about the only thing I’m really good at making at a campfire.” I wave away his confused frown. Instead of trying to explain marshmallows—because I don’t really understand how they’re made—I go back to his original question. “No, no real cooking experience using a fire. Weusually heated cans of beans or pre-prepared food packs that you just added water to.”

“I have something like this.” His expression clears, and he pulls out a small pot and a leather pouch. After adding water, he’s got oatmeal—or something like it—bubbling away on the fire.

Breakfast is strips of cooked meat and the “orc porridge,” which is oats with bits of dried fruit, nuts, and meat mixed in. It’s not sweet, like I always eat oatmeal at home, but still really tasty.

I finish things off with a last sip of mint tea, staring into the bottom of the empty cup and wishing for coffee. Mmm, a caramel latte would be perfect right now, but I’m pretty sure there aren’t any Starbucks in Faerie. Hell, there’s no Starbucks in Ferndale Falls either. When Hannah approached the company about setting one up, they said the “demographics” weren’t optimal. It was a nice way of saying our town is too small and only getting smaller, and it hurt because they were right.

“Thanks for breakfast,” I say to Wranth, then lean over and scratch around Shadow’s ear. “And thank you for hunting for us again.”

His eyes close to green slits, and his rumbling purr fills the air.

Wranth stands and walks over to Zephyr, giving the unicorn a pat on the neck. “And how about you, old friend? Have you eaten your fill?”

She bats him with her horn in a soft tap that’s full of affection, in contrast to her short, “Yes.”

“Good, because I’d like to try something before we head out.” He saddles her and turns to me, holding out a hand. “Naomi?”

I go to him.

“Is your magic back yet?” he asks.

“Let me check.” I grip my crystal, close my eyes, and think “home.” Pain flares through my body, and I stop pushingimmediately. When I meet his eyes again, I shake my head. “No. It still feels burnt out.”

“That’s all right. I want to check something about our tether.” He lifts me onto the saddle, his hands staying on me until my knees grip and I find my seat.

“Zephyr, will you walk to the far side of the meadow?”

The unicorn shakes her head, making her silky silver mane flow through the air. “What’s going to happen to me when we reach twenty feet?”

“That’s what I want to find out,” Wranth says.

“Oh!” I snap my fingers. “You think I might bring Zephyr with me?”

“No idea. But we need to know.”

“Because we slam into each other.” I narrow my eyes and point at him. “And you’re going to take the hit! It’s one thing for me to slam into you. It’s a whole other thing for an entire unicorn to hit you!”

“I’m an orc warrior. I’m strong.” His shoulders go back, flaring wide. “Of the two of us, I’m best able to withstand the blow. Besides which, we need to know what will happen, and it’s much better to find out in a controlled fashion than in the middle of an enemy attack.”

My mouth opens, a million protests racing through my mind, but… “You’re right.” I drop my hand. “I freaking hate it, but you’re right. We do need to know what will happen, and this will be safer.”

He grunts, and I can tell it’s a pleased grunt.

Zephyr starts across the meadow, and as soon as we’re about ten feet away, I lean forward and whisper, “Go extra slow, okay? That way, the momentum will be less.”

“I will.” True to her word, her steps shorten, and we creep forward at a slow walk.

Still, dread seizes my chest. No matter how strong Wranth is, how is anyone supposed to walk away from having a freaking unicorn dropped on them?

“You’re almost there,” Wranth calls out.

And I feel it. I feel the tug in the center of my chest.

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