Page 38 of Bound to the Orc Warrior

The sluagh casts a dismissive look over the kelpies, whose bodies are slowly dissolving into the water. “These mean nothing.”

“Perhaps so.” Shadow sounds and looks perfectly bored, in that way cats have, and only the twitch of his tail tip gives him away. “But I’ve trapped the other sluagh, and you’ll be next.”

“Idle threats. Trapping a sluagh is not the same as killing it.”

“Not idle.” Shadow stands. “You dare to trespass on cat sith lands. Know there are consequences.” He lets out a keening cry.

The trees all around us stir, and a dozen shadowy shapes launch through the air, one after the other, each catching in their mouths one of the birds flying in place above my head. Crunch, crunch, crunch! They land, their strong jaws finishing off the birds, who tumble from smiling cat mouths to disappear before they even touch the ground.

I give a happy cry and clap my hands. “Cat sith!”

They slink into the trees, climbing quickly, and repeat the process until no more birds remain.

“Wranth.” Zephyr glances at the pack hanging from her back.

He’s already at her side as the saddlebag bulges, swelling from within. He flings it open and plunges his sword forward, spearing the shrunken, pale-gray thing waiting within. Its vacant white eyes are as empty as its toothless mouth as it gives one last weak cry, then crumbles to dust.

“How’s that for immortality?” Wranth’s deep voice is a triumphant rumble, his face wearing a fierce grin.

Smiles echo all around as the panthers flank us, Shadow’s the largest of all.

“You willnevertouch my bride again.” Wranth steps forward. “This I vow.”

The soul stealer snaps its teeth, its red gaze sliding past him to land on me with palpable menace. “You are wrong. I will have her.”

Wranth lunges, his sword a silver streak whistling through the air.

The sluagh leaps upward, breaking apart into a flock of birds that flaps up into the air with angry shrieks.

Before I can fully process everything that’s happened, Wranth stands before me, sword sheathed, big hands gentle as they ghost over my arms. “You’re hurt.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Wranth

The familiar anger of my bloodlust threatens to overwhelm me as my fingers come away wet with Naomi’s blood. Gritting my teeth, I fight it down. My rage will not help her now.

“I’m okay. Thanks to you.” She turns to look at Zephyr and Shadow. “Thanks toallof you.”

“Yes,” I grumble, tipping my head to the cat sith. “Thank you.”

“It sounds like that hurt to say.” Amusement colors Shadow’s voice. “What’s wrong, orc? Did you think I’d run off?”

A growl reverberates through my chest. Am I so easy to read? Well, then, why bother lying? “Yes.”

“Well, you were right.” He grins, eyes glittering with mischief. “But only to a point. I left to get help, and I think wecan all agree it’s a good thing I did.” He waves a paw at the other feline fae.

They’re all adults of a similar size, with only subtle differences in their colorations. Some with more black, some more silver, but all so alike you could easily mistake one for the other. It’s another facet of what makes them so sneaky.

“You were all brilliant!” Naomi gushes, spinning to look at each of them. “The way you jumped from the trees like that!”

Zephyr says, “It was an ingenious way to dispatch the sluagh without nets.”

“It was,” I agree. “I apologize for doubting you.”

“The cat sith are allied with orcs and unicorns,” a familiar voice says. “You should not doubt us.”

“Mist.” I turn toward her. “I thought you were at Moon Blade Village with Taylor and Krivoth.”

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