Page 42 of Song For His Siren
"Khuldruk, stay," she said to him, and he stopped as the other orcs continued their way down the stairs.
The magic crackling through her dissipated as Khuldruk looked at her with astonishment.
"You really are my little siren mate," he said with a grin stretching across his face.
"What?" she said, still trying to comprehend what had just happened.
"You pushed them with your magic."
"What?"
"I’ll explain what I can, but I really would like to get going. Please. We should leave now."
The panic in his eyes was plain, and the reality of what had just happened was catching up with her. Moving was a good idea, because if she stopped to think about it for another moment, she wasn't sure what would happen.
She nodded and finished getting ready as Khuldruk made sure they had all their belongings.
They left the room and almost ran into the innkeeper. "Here. I prepared this for you. It is enough for your journey home," he said as he shoved a basket into Khuldruk's hands. He seemed to be just as keen to get rid of them as Dru was to be on the road.
They made it to the inn door, and the groom was there with a horse prepared for their journey home.
"Be safe," said the groom. Khuldruk dropped his head, and the orc groom bowed and pressed his forehead to Khuldruk’s hand.
"Thank you," said Dru.
"And congratulations to you, my lady," he said with a dip of his head to Calli.
"Thank you," Calli answered back, not knowing what else to do.
With a squeak of surprise, Khuldruk lifted her up onto the horse before climbing on behind her. The press of his strongchest against her back and his strong thighs bracketing her made her relax ever so slightly.
"Hold this," he said as he set the basket in front of her.
And just like that, they were off. He didn't say anything, but he did have the horse going at a quick pace.
After a while on the road, the morning seemed to be catching up with her.
"Do you think they’ll come back?" she answered.
"I cannot say, although I fear they might. I don't know what happened during my leave. I need to speak with my brother."
"Do you know those orcs?"
"No, but I could tell they were orcs from the Westlands. My clan lives in the mountains to the north and have had many battles with the clan there in the past, but it was years ago."
She took all that in. She wasn't sure why, but when she agreed to come with him, she hadn't thought it might not be safe. Leaving her world felt like a huge decision, but one she could easily make, because the idea of being apart from him felt wrong on a cellular level. And while it still felt wrong, she couldn't help but wonder if this had been the right decision. Almost being killed on her first morning here wasn't a great sign.
"My little mate," Dru said in a low rumble behind her. "Please don't be afraid."
At his words, her body relaxed into him as he took a deep sniff of her head.
"Why are you always smelling me?" she asked, the corner of her mouth tipping up.
"I just like the way you smell. It's intoxicating," he said, taking another sniff before pressing a quick kiss to her head.
"What happened in there? Why did they leave when I said?"
"Because you are part siren, little mate. You must have some very powerful magic in your lineage, because while I’ve never been pushed by a siren, you had four, full grown orcs under yourmagic. I've never heard of such a powerful siren, even on the island."
