Page 101 of Bound to the Orc Warrior

“I have,” I say, holding out the appropriate crystal. “Here is the door to Dularia.”

“Lukendrevener abandoned us and remained in Dularia,” Wranth growls, “leaving before our task was done.”

“He did so at my command.”

“We needed his help! The sluagh attacked! My bride was in danger.”

“I am sorry to hear it, but I can also see you are well.” She tips her huge head, spearing us with one amber eye. “I did not send him on his quest as a frippery. He will find allies against this Dark God.”

Wranth grunts.

I turn to Ashley and waggle Earth’s door crystal in the air. “We have a way to reach Earth now!”

“That’s wonderful!” Her face lights up, and she throws her arms around me in a really big hug. Ashley gives great hugs.

“Which leaves only Avalon.” Aldronn looks at Wranth. “What would you like to do with it?”

“Moon Blade Village has enough of a target on it with the sluagh, kelpies, and ogres already attacking it once,” Wranth growls. “I would not want to bring more trouble to them.”

“I agree.” Dravarr says. “We have many good fighters, but I’m not sure I want my village to face battle on two different fronts.”

“What if I keep it?” Aldronn says. “My guard takes turns standing watch each night. There would always be someone alert and ready to give warning if any of these dark fae come through, and my guards are all well-trained fighters.”

“How will you get word to the rest of us?” Sheevora asks.

“I would like to have a cat sith assigned to me,” Aldronn says. “They could walk the shadow roads and quickly bring the news.”

Mist grins. “We can do that.”

“Iwill do that,” Shadow says.

“I would have a cu sith fighter with you as well,” Rune says. “I offer myself.”

“I would appreciate your strong teeth and claws.”

The black wolf shifts into a seven-foot tall werewolf, who stands upright. He’s covered in fur, his human-like hands and feet clawed, and his face halfway between a wolf and a human’s. “And you will teach me how to fight in my dual form. The balance is completely different than being on all fours.”

“Yes!” Shadow shifts beside him, becoming a werepanther. “I will practice fighting like this as well.”

Aldronn nods.

Drake and Bella shift next, first into fae, with pale skin and dark-green and bright-purple hair, respectively. They’re naked and built like teenagers, even though Ashley told me both of them are way older than me.

“Drake, buddy.” The redhead covers her eyes with her hand. “I do not need to see that.”

A laugh bursts from me. “Just be glad he’s not in his dual form. You’dreallybe getting an eyeful.”

When Ashley shoots me a puzzled glance, I hold up two fingers and point at my groin.

Her mortified groan makes me laugh even harder.

“Change back to dragon form,” Sheevora booms. “Now that the doors of Faerie are open, we’ll need to procure clothing before we can travel the realms in fae form.”

Something strikes me, and I snap my fingers. “So I opened all the doors of Faerie. Doesn’t that mean exactly what it says?Allof them? Why are we acting like these are the only five doors?”

“When the doors slammed closed three-hundred years ago, Alarria was a lost realm, hidden at the heart of Faerie,” Sheevora says. “No one knew of any doors leading to it from any of the other realms, which means we also don’t know where any of the original doors are located here—or even if there are any. Your doorways are our only sure means of travel to and from Alarria.

“But what you say is true. Once we’re in the other realms, we can use any of their known doors to travel from realm to realm.”

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