Page 23 of Her Orc Protector

She looked up, pinning me with a gaze that wasn't unkind but held no warmth either. "Before we proceed, identity verification is required. Please approach the sigil plate, Miss Fairbairn."

I stepped forward to the small pedestal that had risen from the floor directly before the bench. Atop it sat a circular plate of polished silver inscribed with runes that glowed faintly blue. I recognized it as similar to the one at the Hearth Office—asoulbound sigil reader designed to confirm identity regardless of the name given.

I laid my palm flat against the cool metal. Immediately, the runes brightened, shifting from blue to a deep violet as they spiraled inward, reading the unique magical pattern that lived beneath my skin.

The civic mage on the left leaned forward, studying the plate. "Signature confirmed," he said. "Identity matches the Veiled Filing recorded with the Hearth Office."

I returned to Uldrek's side, cradling Ellie closer.

"Thank you, Councilor Riven," the central woman said. "The record stands verified." She turned her attention to both of us. "I am Councilor Elyse Thornwood, chief magistrate of the Civic Harmony bench. To my right is Councilor Pellen, and to my left, as you've heard, is Councilor Riven. This proceeding is not adversarial, merely clarificatory. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I said softly.

"Yes," Uldrek echoed, his voice a low rumble that seemed to resonate with the wards beneath us.

Thornwood nodded. "Miss Fairbairn, our records indicate you filed for sovereign protection sixteen days ago under the Veiled Sanctuary provisions. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Councilor."

"And four days ago, you publicly claimed a mate bond with Uldrek Wolfsbane. Is this also correct?"

"Yes." My voice was steadier now, though I could feel the weight of their scrutiny like a physical pressure.

Thornwood made a note in her ledger. "Mr. Wolfsbane, you were present when this claim was made?"

"I was," Uldrek answered.

"And you consented to the claim?"

His eyebrow arched slightly. "I did. Still do."

Councilor Pellen spoke for the first time, his voice precise and clipped. "If this is a natural orc bond, as you've both attested, why has the claiming not been completed?"

The question hung in the air between us. I realized, with a sudden sinking sensation, that I didn't know how to answer. I'd claimed Uldrek as my mate in desperation, with no understanding of what such a bond truly entailed among orcs. I looked to Uldrek, hoping he would fill the silence.

He did, his expression calm but his eyes fierce. "Because we didn't fake a ritual just to satisfy Council curiosity. We felt the bond. It's not about ceremony—it's instinct.”

Councilor Riven leaned forward, his expression thoughtful rather than skeptical. "So you believe you are mates by natural law—even without completion?"

Uldrek's gaze didn't waver. "I do." He paused, and for a moment, his eyes slid toward me without quite meeting my gaze. "I recognized her. And she recognized me. That was enough for us."

I glanced between them, then at Uldrek, his face unreadable. Was there something else? Some part of the bond I hadn’t done—hadn’t even known to ask about? My claim had been instinct, survival. But theirs… theirs had rules. Structure. Ritual.

And suddenly, I wasn’t sure what I’d invoked at all.

"Miss Fairbairn," Thornwood said, turning her attention to me. "How do you respond to this? Was this a calculated legal maneuver or something else entirely?"

I swallowed hard, searching for words that were both true and useful. How could I explain something I barely understood myself?

"We didn't plan it," I said finally, my voice soft but steady. "I wasn't thinking about legal status or loopholes. I was afraid." I paused, weighing what to say next. "And I reached for the onlything that felt solid." I took a breath, feeling the words form more truthfully than I'd expected. "And he didn't let go."

Ellie stirred against my chest, making a small sound before settling back into sleep. The movement drew Thornwood's gaze, her expression softening almost imperceptibly.

"I see," she said. She exchanged glances with her fellow councilors, a silent communication passing between them.

Councilor Pellen cleared his throat. "While the emotional aspect is... compelling," he said, in a tone that suggested he found it anything but, "the law requires more than feeling. Without formal claiming, this bond exists in a gray area that the Order of Renewal could challenge. And they have indicated they may do so."

My heart stuttered. "They've been here? Spoken to you?"

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