Page 45 of Bound in Flames

Something inside me snapped at her words, the tension coiled in my chest spilling over. “You’ll kill yourself at this rate,” I muttered, the frustration bleeding into my tone.

Her lips quirked into a tired, humorless smile. “Better me than them,” she said simply, and the weight of her words hit me like a blow.

I wanted to argue, to tell her that she didn’t have to bear this burden. But I couldn’t. Deep down, I knew she would. She’d give everything she had, until there was nothing left, and she’d do it without hesitation, because that was who she was.

And it was that thought—that unbearable truth—that made me realize just how deeply I’d fallen for her. She wasn’t just a shaman. She wasn’t just a tool to be used or a prophecy to be fulfilled. She was Cleo. Strong. Defiant. Beautiful. And I was utterly, hopelessly lost to her.

The clan would come to see what I saw. They had to. Because whether or not I wanted to admit it, Cleo wasn’t just a passing figure in my life anymore. She was my anchor, my equal. Somehow, I would find a way to keep her safe. Even if it meant telling her everything and even letting her go. She was my mate.

Chapter 24

Cleo

The midday sun streamed through the high stone windows, casting shifting patterns of light across the long tables laden with food. The scent of roasted meat and spiced vegetables filled the hall, mingling with the low hum of conversation. The orcs sat around me, their broad shoulders brushing mine as we ate. I still couldn’t shake the feeling that I was an outsider, but something had shifted in the past few days. They weren’t looking at me with suspicion anymore. Word had traveled quickly about my time in the healer's room over the last twenty-four hours, and this was the first time I had stepped away from the injured scouts.

Dex had practically shoved a pair of leggings and a tunic into my hands, giving me only minutes to change before dragging me here, fussing the entire way at me for sleeping in one of the healer’s chairs. His worry was endearing, and I kept repeating that I was fine, and I couldn’t leave until everyone had been showing signs of improvement. He finally relented as the table had filled opposite us.

Gornak’s rough voice broke through the clatter of dishes, drawing my attention. “Shaman, how does it feel when you heal us?”

His words hung in the air, and I blinked at him, my mind searching for the right words to describe what it felt like to draw on the earth’s power. “I'm not sure... it’s hard to describe.”

Gornak’s eyes, though sharp, had softened. “It's unlike anything I have seen before, despite my many years. When you drove the darkness from us in the Shadow Lands, it felt like you reached into our very souls. Our life force was wavering, and then you...” He paused, searching for the right words. “You held us together, like you were pulling us back. I felt this incredible warmth. It wasn’t just healing magic. It was pure power surging through us, fueling our lifeforce.”

I swallowed hard. Had I really done that—sent pure energy through them? I had been so frantic, so desperate to help, I hadn’t fully realized the effect of my magic. The idea that I had touched something as delicate as their life force was both terrifying and humbling. And yet, a quiet confidence settled in my chest.

Thorn, seated across the table, leaned in with an eager glint in his amber eyes. “It was like light flooding us. We felt you, Cleo. We felt your magic, and Gornak is right—it was warmth.”

My cheeks flushed under their scrutiny. “I didn’t even know what I was doing,” I admitted softly, wrapping my arms around my waist. A small smile tugged at my lips despite myself.

Kaldor gave me a wry grin as he snatched the last bread roll from Thorn's plate. “Then you should keep not knowing, Shaman.”

Thorn swiped for his roll, but Kaldor was faster, shoving it in his mouth with a victorious grin. I was beginning to see that they were like overgrown children, always needling each other.Was this what a family was supposed to feel like?For so long, I had been the outcast, even in my own home, and now these fierce warriors were welcoming me in unguarded.

I glanced over at Dex, who sat silently beside me watching the exchange lazily. There was something different in his gaze, something softer that I wasn’t used to seeing. He caught me staring, and a heat flickered behind his eyes. I knew he was thinking about our tryst in the library. The way I had writhed under him, the way my body responded to his touch. I bit my lip, a thrill sparking in my veins at the memory.Gods, had I really begged him to touch me?His eyes traced my lips, and his grip on the tabletop tightened, wood groaning as he shifted next to me, adjusting his pants under the table with as much subtly as an elephant in a ballroom.

“You’re right, she did save you. But don’t forget she’s still learning. This is just the beginning of her grasp on a shaman’s power.” Dex said, clearing his throat uncomfortably.

Having finished his meal, he stood from the bench and stepped behind me, his hand finding my shoulder. The sudden warmth of his body made me stiffen, before I melted into his touch. The scent of leather and cedar wrapped around me like a comforting shroud and I couldn’t help but think of waking up in his arms, his strong, steady heartbeat against my back. I missed that last night, as I drifted restlessly, curled up in the healer's room. I missed the way he had buried his face in my hair, his hand resting possessively on my waist. The quiet intimacy of it sent another rush of heat through me, anticipation curling in my belly. I wanted to finish what we had started.

Dex’s voice dropped, his tone commanding. “Cleo is strong, but she’s not invincible. She’s still learning, and I won’t tolerate anyone questioning her while she does.”

The warriors nodded in unison, their respect for Dex clear in the way they responded immediately to his authority. But I could still feel their eyes on me, still feel their curiosity.

One of the older orcs, Larnak, gave a small chuckle. “Small in size, but powerful. We’ll keep her safe from any who question her, Chieftain.”

With murmured apologies at having to leave to meet with the training master, Dex assured me he would see me soon, before he pulled my chin up and pressed a chaste kiss to my forehead. The gesture was simple, yet possessive, and it left my skin tingling in its wake.

My cheeks burned as I turned back to my new friends, catching the knowing smirk from Thorn across the table. "Who knew something as simple as public affection could make a human blush."

Larnak laughed, slapping his knee as he leaned in conspiratorially. "It's amazing, because as I was told from the guards, she wasn't afraid to be heard in the libra?—"

Gornak smacked him with his mug before he could finish his sentence, sending water splashing across the table, drenching Larnak in the process. "Watch your mouth when speaking about the Chieftain's mate."

I had come to find that orcs were not as reserved when it came to discussing intimacy, so I knew Gornak was doing that for my benefit, and I greatly appreciated him for it. My face burned in embarrassment as the warriors' eyes focused anywhere but on me, hiding their grins behind their own mugs—Kaldor bowing his head to watch as he shredded another bread roll, Thorn shoving a large chunk of spiced carrot in his mouth.

It didn't take long for Thorn to begin telling stories, their deep voices blending with the scrape of utensils and clatter of mugs. I found myself smiling, laughing even, as they shared tales of their victories and the games they played on one another during long journeys. It was obvious Thorn was eager for any skirmish outside of the mountain, his tales often focusing on the new places he got to see when scouting.

Slowly, orcs began to rise and return to their tasks, and Gornak kindly gave me directions to find Dex in the training grounds when I was ready.

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