Page 105 of Her Orc Protector

The man paled further but said nothing as we passed. I was too tired to feel anger toward him—he was just another pawn in Gavriel's schemes, probably paid well for his discretion and silence.

Outside, the night air was crisp and clean, washing away the lingering smell of smoke and magic. Stars wheeled overhead, countless and bright beyond the small pool of lantern light that spilled from the inn's windows. Mud squelched beneath our boots as Uldrek guided me away from the building, toward theedge of the courtyard, where shadows gathered thick beneath a stand of trees.

He stopped at the edge of the darkness and gave a soft, low whistle. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the shadows shifted, and something massive stepped forward.

I stiffened in surprise and awe.

It wasn't a horse. It was a ram—but like no ram I'd ever seen. Enormous, its shoulder level with Uldrek's chest, with curved horns that swept back from its broad forehead. Its coat was thick and shaggy, the color of storm clouds, flecked with hints of silver that caught the starlight. And its eyes were like molten amber, intelligent and watchful.

"That is not a horse," I said, rather unnecessarily.

Uldrek's mouth curved in the first real smile I'd seen from him all night. "Meet Ghost," he said, reaching up to scratch behind one of the creature's ears. The ram leaned into the touch with surprising gentleness.

I stared, momentarily distracted from my exhaustion. "He's... beautiful."

"Temperamental. Doesn't like anyone." A beat. "Used to be a war mount. Like me, really." There was fondness in his voice, but also a quiet understanding that went beyond mere animal and owner.

Before I could respond, Uldrek moved to Ghost's side, running a hand along the ram's flank. "Can you lift your arms?" he asked me. "Or will it hurt too much?"

"I can manage," I said.

He nodded, then took me by the waist and lifted me onto Ghost’s broad back.

The ram stood perfectly still, not even shifting under my weight. There was no saddle—just a simple riding pad secured by a belt around the creature's middle. Uldrek swung up behind me with practiced ease, settling me between his arms as he tookhold of a leather cord that served as reins. His chest was warm against my back, solid and steady.

"Comfortable?" he asked, his breath stirring my hair.

I was far from comfortable—I ached everywhere, my hands throbbed beneath their bandages, and I was balanced on the back of a massive war ram. But I was alive. I was free. And Uldrek was with me.

"Yes," I said, letting myself lean back against him. "Let's go home."

He made a soft clicking sound, and Ghost moved forward, his gait surprisingly smooth for such a large animal. We left the inn behind, following a narrow path that eventually joined the main road back toward Everwood.

Chapter 30

The rhythm of Ghost's steady gait lulled me into an almost-trance as we traveled. My body ached in places I hadn't known could ache, the bandages on my hands chafed against Uldrek's arms where I gripped them, and somewhere deep inside my mind, Gavriel's final moments played on an endless, terrible loop. I closed my eyes against the memories, focusing instead on the solidity of Uldrek behind me, the warmth of his chest against my back, and the way his breath stirred my hair.

Night had fully settled around us, the road ahead illuminated only by starlight. We hadn't spoken much since leaving the inn. There seemed to be no words large enough for what had happened or small enough for the comfort I needed. So we rode in silence, his arms a steady bracket around me, keeping me upright when exhaustion threatened to pull me under.

Ghost crested a small rise, and Uldrek murmured over my shoulder, "We're almost there."

I opened my eyes. In the distance, the warm glow of Everwood's lights beckoned, still small but unmistakable against the darkness. Home. Safety. Ellie. Everything I'd fought for was just ahead.

But I didn't answer right away. My body ached, my hands still raw, but what ached more was the need to feel something real again. To feel him. To wash away the last traces of Gavriel's touch with something I chose.

"Let's stop," I said softly. "Just for a while."

Uldrek nodded without question. He brought Ghost to a halt with a gentle tug on the reins and slid down first, his boots making a soft thud as they hit the earth. Then he reached up for me, strong hands careful on my waist as he lifted me down.

My legs wobbled when they touched the ground. Too many hours in fear, in fight, in flight. Uldrek steadied me, his hands lingering at my hips. I didn't pull away. Neither did he.

The night air was cool but not cold, sweet with the scent of late autumn leaves and the distant tang of woodsmoke from Everwood's chimneys. Above us, the stars spread out in a vast tapestry, impossibly bright against the dark. The road behind us was empty, and the road ahead was clear. For this small moment, we existed in perfect solitude.

"There's a flat spot just there," Uldrek said, nodding toward a grassy clearing a few paces from the road. "If you want to rest."

I nodded, and he kept one hand at my elbow as we moved toward it. Ghost followed a few steps behind, then wandered off to graze at the edge of the clearing, apparently content to let us be.

Uldrek unfastened his cloak and spread it on the ground, creating a makeshift blanket against the dew-damp grass. We sat side by side, facing the distant lights of Everwood. His shoulder pressed against mine, solid and warm. The claiming mark wasa muted presence beneath my collarbone, neither burning nor silent, just there—like the memory of a touch.

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