Page 76 of Her Orc Protector

I felt the words settle in me, small stones of reassurance added to the weight I was preparing to carry. “All right,” I said, more to myself than anyone. “The blue dress.”

We finished eating in a kind of companionable quiet, even if the undercurrent beneath it hummed with tension. Hobbie insisted on taking Ellie after dinner, muttering something about restless magic and keeping her out of the way of ritual work. I bent to kiss Ellie’s soft curls, whispering a promise into her ear I hoped I could keep:You are safe. You will stay safe.

By the time Uldrek and I finished straightening the table and washing the bowls, soft light was beginning to trail down the walls of the cottage, fading to ember. He stood behind me as I wiped the edge of the basin, his hands resting lightly on my hips.

“You don’t have to go alone,” he said. “If they’ll let me in the chamber, I’ll be there.”

I turned to face him, the cloth still damp in my hand. “You’ve already stood between me and a blade once. You don’t have to do it again.”

He met my gaze without hesitation. “Wasn’t the blade that scared me. It was what it cost you to name it.”

I looked away, throat tight. Heat threatened behind my eyes, and I blinked it back. “I could stand alone,” I whispered.

“I know,” he said, brushing a loose curl behind my ear. “But you don’t have to.”

Silence fell again, but it wasn’t heavy. It was full. I touched his hand and threaded our fingers together.

Tomorrow, the courtroom would feel cold. I knew this. Gavriel would be there, likely pristine as ever, his voice smooth as silk spun over lies. The council would weigh his charm against my truth, his sanctity against my scars.

But tonight, there was warm bread on the counter. Herbs drying near the hearth. Stew simmering low in our bellies. And a hand in mine that had never once tried to guide me—only held steady.

Outside, the wind shifted, bringing a brisk change in the air. I breathed in, deep and slow, the scent of rosemary and ashwood in the hearth catching at the edges of my awareness. This home was real, this life—no longer a fragile illusion I dared not own. Gavriel had known my name for only a day. I had begun reclaiming it for weeks. That, I realized now, made all the difference.

"Come on," I murmured, tugging him toward the hearth. "You owe me a game of stones, and I plan to beat you terribly before bed."

He huffed a soft laugh. “I let you win once and haven’t heard the end of it.”

“I was magnificent.”

“That’s one word.”

We sat on the floor before the fire as Hobbie’s wards shimmered faint gold at each lintel. Ellie shifted in her sleep, a soft sigh from beside the woven cradle. This wasn’t untouched peace. It was chosen. Hard-won. And it would hold through morning.

No—beyond that.

Because I would see it through.

Chapter 21

The morning air bit with an unexpected chill as we approached the Council Hall, a thin mist clinging to the cobblestones. I had risen before dawn, bathed in water that never quite warmed, and dressed with careful precision. The blue dress Hobbie had suggested hung properly on my frame—not too formal, not too casual. I had pinned my hair neatly at the nape of my neck, a style that felt both familiar and foreign, like slipping into a uniform from another life.

"Are you warm enough?" Uldrek asked, his voice low as we climbed the stone steps.

"Yes," I answered, though I felt cold to my bones, not from the air, but from what lay ahead.

The Council had allowed Uldrek to accompany me as a silent companion—a concession that surprised me. He wouldn't be allowed to speak, but he could be present. It was a small mercy, but I would take it.

Hobbie had remained at the cottage with Ellie, her small face unusually solemn as we left. "Be direct," she'd said, straightening my collar one final time. "No apologies."

Now, I stood before the great chamber doors, adjusting the satchel strap where it pressed into my shoulder. Inside lay the archive copies from the Civic Vault—the proof I'd gathered, meticulously prepared. My hands trembled slightly, and I curled them into fists at my sides.

Uldrek noticed. Of course he did. He brushed his knuckles against mine. "I'm right here," he murmured.

Before I could respond, the doors swung open. A clerk in formal robes stood in the threshold, expression neutral.

"The Council is ready," he said, stepping aside.

I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and walked forward.

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