Page 12 of Claimed By the Orc Emperor

I open my eyes the next morning and I’m greeted by the sight of Axum, his face relaxed as his warm breath drifts over me as he sleeps.

How the hell does he look good when he’s asleep? It shouldn’t be allowed.

I take in his face—the heavy brow, broad nose and soft-looking, kissable lips. Damn, how can an orc be fine? Like, so-fine-I’m-good-with-being-in-a-whole-new-world-so-I-can-be-in-his-orbit fine. Even his bright green skin draws me in. That could also have a lot to do with my secret orc fantasies.

My gaze locks on his tusks. They look so sharp, like, if I touch them, I’d prick my finger.

Before I realize what I’m doing, I reach out so I can trace along one of them, wanting to see if it’s as deadly as it looks.

“They only look sharp,” Axum says in a sleep-drenched voice. I gasp and pull my hand back before I make contact. I was so focused on his tusks that I didn’t even see his eyes open or the small smirk on his face. “You may touch them,” he says, stretching his arms over his head.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur, tucking my hand under my face. “I shouldn’t have tried. That was extremely rude.”Fucking personal space, Rainn.

“It is quite alright,” he says, smiling warmly at me. “It is only natural that humans are curious about our tusks, seeing as you don’t have any. If you would like to touch them, by all means…”

“You sure?”

“Very.”

Slowly, I reach over and touch the tip of one of his tusks. It’s keen, but also not? As if there is a barrier around it that takes away the worst of the sharpness.

“Wow,” I whisper, touching the back side of his left tusk. “I thought they’d be more knife-like. How do you get used to them?”

He shrugs. “I have known nothing else. It would be strange for you to suddenly grow tusks, since you do not have them now, but I always have. They’re a part of me.”

That makes sense. “I love them,” I say, letting my mouth run away from me. “They look scary, but they’re actually really beautiful.” My cheeks heat when I meet his eyes. “I’m sorry. Probably should have kept that to myself.”

“Nonsense. Thank you for the compliment.”

I sit up, the necklace he gave me yesterday trapped under my body. “This will take some getting used to. Do I have to wear it when I sleep?”

“No. But you will not understand me unless you put it on or have it in contact with your body. Our magicians have experimented with several ways for humans or elves or anyone else that crosses the barrier to understand us. Enchanted items seem to be all that work.”

“Or I can learn orcish. That would be smarter.”

Axum’s eyes grow wide. “You would do that? Learn my language to speak to me? To my people?”

I nod. “Of course. If I can’t go home, I need to understand everyone in case I forget my necklace or don’t feel like wearing it.” Thinking about not going home sends a pang through my chest, the thought of leaving Kai alone without knowing what happened to me is gut-wrenching. But the thought of leaving Axum hurts even more. I push both unwanted thoughts away.

His face brightens, his violet eyes twinkling. “That is thoughtful, Rainn. I can teach you.” Then he backtracks quickly. “Or I can have a tutor assigned to you. I can?—”

I cover his large mouth with my hand. “I would like you to teach me. It could be fun. We could spend time together while you tutor me.”

His mouth tips up in a smile under my hand before I lower it to my lap.

I stretch my arms over my head, then wrinkle my nose. While I don’t smell awful, the scent of sweat clings to my skin. I feel gross that I slept without showering last night. What must Axum think of me?

“Is there somewhere I can shower? I don’t have other clothes or anything though. They’re in my second bag back at my campsite. Could I work for them? I don’t know how to do much, but I can learn.” Then another thought enters my head. “Shit, how will I pay for anything?”

Axum’s smile is gentle as he watches me. “You do not have to pay for clothing. When humans cross the barrier, we help them get clothing and lodging since most do not travel with coins. If you would like, we can discuss you getting a job. You can wait a few weeks to get acclimated before that, however.” Then he pauses with a frown. “What is a shower?”

“Oh. Um…” I sit and think of how to explain a shower. I’ve never had to, as everyone knows what they are.“Like where you stand in a stall and let water fall on you so you can wash? Like rain, but…like in a box?” I’m so fucking terrible at explaining things. Am I sure I’m an author?

Axum still looks confused. “We do not have a shower, but there is a bathing pool.”

A bathing pool? I don’t know what it is, but I like the sound of it. “You have an indoor pool? Where is it?”

“Where else would it be?” He looks so confused, which confuses me.

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