Page 117 of Bound to the Orc King

I plug in my phone. Hannah and Naomi blew up my messages those first few days they thought I was missing, but thankfully there are only a few missed texts and one voicemail from Dad. It’s hard to believe I haven’t been gone that long, since my entire life has changed so completely, but for him it’s only been a regular couple of weeks.

I shoot him a quick text, telling him I’m okay and I’ll get in touch soon. I need to figure out how to have the whole “my husband is an orc and all that stuff Mom always said about Faerie is true” convo.

Naomi teleports us to the waterfall and goes back to her bookshop, needing to do some paperwork before returning home to Moon Blade Village.

Aldronn sets down my backpack, which he insisted on carrying, even after I told him I’ve lugged it halfway around the world by myself.

“I know you can do it, my queen.” He pulls me into his arms as we take a moment to look out at the waterfall again. “But if I’m with you, you don’t have to do everything yourself. I’ll always help.”

I sigh happily and lean back against him, enjoying watching the water pour down in a continuous stream, a perfect place made more perfect by sharing it with the man I love.

“Well, Mom,” I whisper. “I’ve got quite the story this time.”

Aldronn continues to hold me as I tell her about Aldronn and everything that happened in Faerie, including the pixie friends I made and how she was right about my crystal necklace being magical. I finally finish and stand still for a while longer, feeling her with me here, in this place she loved so much.

Then I turn within the circle of Aldronn’s arms so I can look up at him. “Thank you for being so patient.”

“It was nothing less than you deserve.” He brushes a lock of hair from my face, his eyes so full of love my heart skips.

I stretch up on my tiptoes, body begging for a kiss.

“Well, this is certainly interesting,” a resonant voice says. It sounds familiar, but I shouldn’t be hearing ithere.

I spin to find a leather-clad man resting a hand against an ash tree, tendrils of smoke rising from the tattoos covering his bare arms. A hungry look carves his cheekbones into knife blades as his green eyes take in the woods around the falls.

Severin, king of the shadow fae, has followed us to Earth.

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