Page 29 of Summoning the Orc

Harrumphing, I turned to look at where Penelope was trying to have a conversation in Orcish. I could tell from the stilted responses that she wasn’t having the easiest time.

“She’s still getting the basics down,” Dristan explained from behind me. “And should I add you to the lesson plan, since your mate’s an orc who can’t speak Common?”

I nibbled on my lower lip before nodding. “Yes, please. Even if he has to go back home, I still want to be able to talk to him while he’s here.”

Dristan eyed me for a moment before leaning forward, his forearms on the marble island. I mirrored him, so we were facing each other.

“You realize that he’s not going to go home without you, right?” he asked, taking a bite of the dragon fruit.

“I can’t go with him,” I explained, shaking my head. “I have Pen and her parents. And you and Rudgar now. Plus, a whole new job that I have to go to this morning after breakfast.”

He harrumphed, leaning back to continue his cutting. “Alright, but he’ll need to go back to settle his affairs before he comes to live here.”

“Live here?” I squeaked, and Rok was at my side at once, tilting my face up with his huge, gentle hands to examine me, barking Orcish at Dristan.

The male barked right back at him and they had a silent glaring match for a few moments before Dristan rolled his eyes and went back to cutting.

“Tell him I didn’t say anything to upset you,” he grumbled, “or he’s going to keep making accusations.”

“He didn’t upset me,” I told Rok even though he wouldn’t understand, shaking my head and forcing a smile on my face. “I’m fine.”

Rok examined me, scrutinizing my face for a long moment before he pressed a kiss to my forehead. I squeezed his fingers inmine for a moment.

“Yes, because you obviously havezerofeelings for the male,” Dristan scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“Be nice,” Pen told him, stealing dragon fruit from his fingers.

I watched the big, scary male lose his gruffness in a moment, passing the bowl of fruit he had been making to his mate. I swooned on the inside, peeking over at Rok and remembering the breakfast he’d made me that morning.

I knew that orcs loved feeding their mates. I’d seen and read enough about their mating rituals to know the basics, but experiencing it first hand was another thing.

“What would he even do here?” I asked out loud, but Dristan answered with ease.

“He has enough dragon gold that your grandchildren’s children will never have to work a day in their life,” he scoffed. “But he can work with Rudgar if he gets bored. We can always use someone with his battle experience on our team.”

“Battle experience?” I asked, turning to look at Dristan where he was curled around Pen as she poured four mugs of coffee. She passed one to each of us and I watched Rok eye me with curiosity as I took a sip.

“You can tell from the notches on his tusk,” he tipped his chin toward Rok and I saw the neat carved lines around each of his gleaming tusks. Intrigued, I reached up to run my fingers over them and Rok’s eyes went dark with lust.

“There’re so many,” I murmured.

“That means that your male’s the strongest, fiercest male where he’s from,” Dristan called.

I beamed up at Rok, and he smiled back, his eyes moving between Dristan and I, but not interrupting.

“But what if he—” I started, but Dristan cut me off.

“All I’m hearing are excuses, Becca. I’m giving you solutions, but you keep digging.” I heard Pen smack Dristan across hischest and he grunted, but he didn’t retract his words.

“Can you ask him what he’d like to do?” I asked Dristan, not looking away from Rok, as he stood in front of me, tipping my chin back and studying my face as if he was learning it. “If he’d like to go back to his home or stay here?”

Dristan spoke in slow, deliberate words, but Rok shook his head, cutting him off, barking out only a few short sounds before stroking his finger down my cheek.

“He said he’s staying here. With you,” Dristan told me and my heart melted as my breath stilled in my chest.

I swallowed hard, struggling not to cry as I gave him a trembling smile. “Okay,” I whispered, all my hopes colliding into one bundle of happiness. “He can stay.”

“With you,” Dristan emphasized and I nodded, biting my lower lip.

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