Page 96 of Her Orc Protector

Our eyes met across the dim room, and I saw quiet triumph in his gaze.

"Good evening, Isolde," he said, his voice like silk over steel. "I was beginning to worry I wouldn't get to see you again."

Chapter 27

My heartbeat stuttered in my chest as I stared at Gavriel. In the dying firelight, I could see the silver glint of his bracer beneath his sleeve—the one that concealed the Seal of Veritas.

"You're supposed to be in custody," I said, hating the tremor in my voice.

Gavriel's smile was indulgent. "Come now, Isolde. You know better than that. Men like me don't stay in cells."

I remained frozen on the stairs, calculating. If I shouted, would Gruha hear me? Were the others even in the house? And Ellie—my baby was sleeping just down the hall, unprotected.

With a cold clarity, I realized I couldn't risk it. Not when Gavriel's hand rested so casually on Dora's shoulder, not when his eyes held that dangerous light.

"What did you do to her?" I asked, nodding toward Dora's rigid form.

"Nothing permanent." He stroked Dora's hair like she was a doll. "As you figured out, the Seal allows for temporary... adjustments to perception. She'll remember opening the door to check something outside. Nothing more."

I took another step down, careful to keep my movements slow, unthreatening. "Let her go. This is between us."

"Of course it is." His voice was reasonable and soothing—the tone he'd always used when explaining why I was wrong and why I should trust his judgment. "But I needed a way inside, and your little friend was kind enough to assist."

Gavriel's fingers flexed slightly on Dora's shoulder. My stomach twisted.

"Now," he continued pleasantly, "why don't you come down here? We have much to discuss."

I knew what would happen next, even if I hadn’t understood it before—the insidious warmth of the Seal's magic slipping beneath my thoughts, making his words sound reasonable. Making me doubt myself. I braced for it, hands tightening on the banister.

But nothing came.

No pull. No haze. Just my own breath in my lungs and the steady pounding of my heart. I took another cautious step, testing for the shift I remembered so well—the soft erosion of will. Still nothing.

I didn’t understand. Something had changed. Or something was in the way. Whatever the reason, I was still myself. And that meant I still had a chance.

I made a split-second decision. If he realized it wasn’t working, he might resort to violence. Might hurt Dora or go upstairs searching for Ellie. I couldn't let that happen.

So I pretended.

I let my shoulders slump slightly. Let my expression go blank, like Dora's. I took the remaining stairs slowly, moving as if in a dream.

"That's it," Gavriel murmured as if to a skittish animal. "Come to me, my love."

I wanted to vomit at the endearment, but I kept my face still. Docile. Defeated. I crossed the room until I stood before him, close enough to smell the spiced cologne he always wore. Close enough to kill him if I had the means.

"You've been so confused," he said, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "But that's over now. We're going home."

My skin crawled at his touch, but I didn't flinch. "Yes," I said, voice flat. "Home."

His smile widened, revealing perfect teeth. "Good. Now, where's our child? Go fetch her, and we'll be on our way."

Terror surged through me, but I kept my face still. I couldn't let him have Ellie. Couldn't let him twist her the way he'd tried to twist me.

"She's upstairs," I said. "I'll get her."

A floorboard creaked overhead, followed by the shuffle of footsteps. Someone was awake upstairs, moving around. Gruha, maybe, or Leilan.

Gavriel's face hardened. He released Dora, who swayed slightly but remained upright, still caught in whatever spell he'd cast.

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