Page 97 of Bound to the Orc King

Aldronn leaps in between us, his sword blocking the strike Severin aimed at my heart, deflecting it easily. He lunges right as Severin’s mental voice says,“There’s a word you must speak.”

“Wait, Aldronn!” I scream. “He’s trying to tell me something!”

Aldronn yanks to an abrupt halt only possible because he’s so highly trained, his body responding with amazing speed.

“You must speak the word ‘release,’”Severin says.

I say, “Release” out loud, then repeat it mentally.

“Not in your language.”Severin sneers.“In the celestial tongue.”

“What are you doing, little puppet?”the Dark God booms.“Telling secrets to your new friend? It matters not.”

More of the dark blue lightning zaps Severin, and his body jolts. He turns haunted eyes upon me, his mental voice agonized.“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what? You saved the mission! I can free the Moon Goddess now.”Luke will have the info I need.

The god’s bass voice resounds through my mind. Each word lands with the force of a sledgehammer pounding concrete, pain exploding behind my eyes.“Finish this!”

Severin winces, his limbs jerking like they’re not in his control. His sad, beautiful eyes meet mine, and there’s one last mental whisper of,“I’m so sorry.”

His body lunges.

Aldronn, still heeding my words not to hurt Severin, hesitates.

The dark fae does not, his sword piercing Aldronn’s chest.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Aldronn

Pain spears my heart, echoed by my bride’s anguished scream.

“May,” I try to say, but my lips don’t seem to work. Nothing seems to work as I crumple to the floor.

Her face appears above me, the only bright spot in encroaching darkness. I can’t hear anything but a loud whooshing noise like the sound of the waterfall where we first made love. It’s peaceful, so peaceful I could close my eyes and go to sleep. But May’s upset and crying, her mouth moving frantically as she yells at someone off to the side.

I don’t want her to cry. I want to kiss away her tears. I want to stroke her hair until she relaxes against me with one of her softlittle sighs. I want to tell her I love her, even though she told me not to yet.

A unicorn horn flashes silver across my darkening vision, jabbing into my shoulder. A bolt of magic bursts through me, full of warmth and love. Pain clenches my chest with white hot agony, and I hate it—a part of me wants to return to the bliss of numbness.

But May grips my shoulders, her tiny hands shaking me. Her voice comes as if from a distance. “Stay with me, Aldronn. Don’t you dare fucking give up!”

For her, I face the pain and fight.

For my bride. My queen.

For the woman I love.

My chest becomes a burning torment, and I can feel the flesh knitting back together.

My moon bound’s dear eyes hold mine as my heart beats again for the first time, as my lips whisper the most important word in all the worlds, “May.”

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

May

Starfall lies on her side beside Aldronn, her magical horn still touching him. She’s out cold, but her chest rises and falls evenly.

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