Page 54 of Bound to the Orc Warrior

“I agree.” Moonlight tips her head. “It is the tether that will break.”

“When?” Naomi asks, sounding far too eager for my ears.

“I can’t give you an exact time. I think it’s instead tied to a specific action or task.”

“Opening the doors of Faerie.” Naomi snaps her fingers. “It’s got to be that.”

I grunt, knowing she’s right yet dreading it at the same time, since breaking the tether means she can leave me.

“Thank you, Moonlight.” Naomi rubs her hands on her thighs and stands. “We should get going to Moon Blade Village.”

“How does your magic feel?” I ask. “I don’t want you to use too much, too soon.”

“I’m not sure.” She grips her crystal in one hand, and her nose scrunches. “I’m not feeling any burn, and I want to try. Besides, if this works, you said there are crystals there that will keep me from burnout. It’s worth the risk.”

“No! You can’t leave!” Wisp gallops over to my bride, flickering in and out of sight as she comes. “Who will tell us stories?”

“No!” “Don’t go!” “Stay!” The other kits come tumbling after.

Naomi crouches down and throws her arms wide, gathering them all to her. “I’ll come back.” She scratches one tiny head after another. “I promise.”

One by one, they accept a last pat, then jump down to race off after new mischief. Soon, only Wisp remains. Her needle claws cling to the front of Naomi’s shirt. “Take me with you! I want an adventure!”

“I’m not sure I can. I don’t know if I can take anyone with me but Wranth.” She taps her finger lightly on the kit’s nose. “And you’re way too freaking cute to experiment on.”

“But I’m not?” Shadow says, tone sardonic.

“You’re a big guy.” Naomi grins at him. “You can take care of yourself.”

“Still, I think I’ll pass on being part of your experiment.” His eyes glitter with amusement as he looks at Zephyr. “After all, unlike some, I can get to the village quickly all by myself.”

“Humph,” she snorts and tosses her head, making the grooves on her horn flash in the morning sun. “You and your shadow roads. See if I ever heal you.”

“I hope to never need it,” the feline fae says.

I walk over to Zephyr and lay a hand on her neck. “You don’t have to do this. I can take the saddle and bags with me.” Or at least I hope I can, but even if they don’t make the trip, there’s nothing in them that can’t be replaced. I can’t say the same for my friend. “You could make your own way to the village. Unburdened, it wouldn’t take you more than a handful of days.”

“As if I can leave you alone for that long.” She lips the hair at my temple, snuffling as she takes in my familiar scent. “Goddess knows what trouble you’ll get into without my help.”

“Me, trouble?”

“Hah! There’s no point in playing the innocent.” She bats my shoulder with her horn. “That temper of yours is worse than most orcs’.”

I grunt, but she has a point.

Naomi sets down the kit and spins to face Moonlight, who sits in front of the den. “Thanks so much for having us.”

“I wish you luck on your endeavors,” the elder says. “Long have the cat sith dreamed of walking the shadow roads to any destination we choose, as our ancestors did of old.” She spears us with a sharp gaze that holds none of the normal feline mischief. “Make it happen.”

“I will,” Naomi says brightly.

Shadow lets out a melodramatic sigh and presses against her thigh, silently asking for a head scratch. “I suppose this means clothes are in my future.”

“Poor thing.” Naomi grins down at him as she rubs around his ears.

“Poor everyone else, you mean.” His green eyes laugh up at her. “For they will be denied a glimpse of my magnificence.”

Her rich, throaty chuckle makes me smile. For all my annoyance at the cat’s cockiness, I cannot discount the joy he brings my bride.

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