Page 49 of Her Orc Protector

For a moment, no one moved. Daric lay on his back, blinking up at the sky as if trying to understand what had just happened.The other guards stared, expressions ranging from shock to reluctant admiration.

"Shit," muttered the red-bearded guard, breaking the silence.

I stood very still, a strange calm washing through me. I hadn't expected to win—not really. I'd just wanted to stand my ground. To show that I could.

A sound behind me made me turn. Uldrek was staring at me, his expression a complex mix of pride, disbelief, and something deeper, warmer. He shook his head slowly, a smile breaking across his face—open, genuine, unfettered.

Then, before I could react, he stepped forward, wrapped his arms around my waist, and lifted me in a half-spin that pulled a startled laugh from my throat. His strength made it effortless, and for a moment, I was suspended, my hands braced against his shoulders, the world turning around us.

When he set me down, we stayed frozen—his arms still around me, my hands still pressed against his solid warmth.

Everything else faded—the yard, the guards, even the fight. There was only this: his breath against mine, his hands at my waist, the sun warm on our skin.

I didn't know which of us moved first. Perhaps we both did, drawn by the same inevitable gravity. His lips met mine with a firm, steady pressure that sent warmth cascading through my body. I returned the kiss without thinking, my fingers curling into the cloth of his shirt, anchoring myself to him as the world seemed to tilt and resettle around us.

It wasn't tentative. Wasn't fleeting. It was a kiss that felt like recognition—like finding something I hadn't known I was looking for until it was there, solid and real beneath my touch.

When we finally broke apart, I was breathing harder than I had during the fight. Uldrek's eyes were dark, his expression somewhere between stunned and reverent.

"Well," came Helvey's amused voice from behind us, "that's one way to celebrate a win."

Reality rushed back in. I stepped away from Uldrek, suddenly aware of our audience. The guards were watching us with varying degrees of amusement, even Daric, who had managed to sit up, rubbing the back of his head with a rueful expression.

"Not bad," he conceded, his earlier disdain replaced with something close to respect. "Where'd you learn that move?"

I glanced at Uldrek. "From someone who knows what he's doing."

That drew a chorus of low whistles and chuckles from the guards. Helvey offered Daric a hand up, which he accepted with a shake of his head.

"Should've known Wolfsbane wouldn't waste his time," Daric said, brushing dust from his uniform. The words held none of the earlier mockery—just a simple acknowledgment. He gave me a short nod before turning to his companions. "Come on. I need a drink after that."

I watched them shuffle off toward the barracks, their teasing voices fading as they went. Daric glanced back once, his expression thoughtful before he disappeared through the doorway.

A small sound from the oak tree reminded me we weren't alone. Hobbie sat exactly where she'd been before, one eyebrow raised almost to her hairline. Ellie was awake now, waving her tiny fists in the air as if she'd somehow caught the excitement of the moment.

"Well," Hobbie said drily, "that was something."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks, but I couldn't quite bring myself to regret any of it. "Sorry about the... disturbance."

Hobbie snorted. "No, you're not. Nor should you be." She glanced at Uldrek, then back to me, a knowing glint in her eyes. "About time, I'd say."

Uldrek cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair. "You could've warned me you were going to embarrass half the barracks," he said, his voice gruff but warm.

I turned to him, my eyebrows raised. "You're saying you didn't think I could take him?"

A slow smile spread across his face. "I'm saying when you dropped him, I nearly forgot how to breathe." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a hush that seemed to rumble through my bones. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are when you're not afraid?"

The question hit me like a physical touch. I'd been called beautiful before—by Gavriel, by others. But always as an observation of something I possessed, something static and separate from who I was. This was different. This was Uldrek seeing not just my appearance but my growing strength. My earned confidence.

I swallowed, unable to look away from him. "I'm still afraid sometimes," I admitted quietly.

His gaze softened. "I know. But you don't let it own you anymore."

He reached out slowly, as if giving me time to pull away, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. The gesture was achingly tender—so at odds with the strength I knew his hands contained.

"For the record," he added, his mouth quirking into a half-smile, "I'd put money on you against most of the guards here. After a few more sessions, at least."

I laughed, the sound bubbling up from some newly discovered well of joy within me. "More sessions?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

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