Chapter 20
Malek
It was a strange thing to be in the same space as Lord Leone Kerridan, son and heir to Alasdair, and not split his skull in two with my axe. I gathered Fiona wouldn't be particularly pleased if I did that to her precious brother.
The two of them spoke of Ceilte in the Common Tongue, trading secrets of their realm as though I weren’t right there, drinking in every word. It seemed they truly viewed me as an ally, a development that wasn't entirely unwelcome.
My attention kept drifting toward her, drawn by a pull I hadn't been able to resist since the very first time I saw her.
Contrary to what she believed, our first meeting hadn't been in that forest. It had happened almost two centuries ago, when I was captured by her father's troops just after they slaughtered mine.
Back then, I had seen only eleven springs, yet I was already caged like an animal in the dungeons beneath the castle at Ceilte.
I remember the echo of footsteps and hushed whispers—nothing like the rough voices of the soldiers who guarded me.
Then, a High Fae fledgling appeared, peering at me with wide blue eyes and dangerous curiosity.
She was nothing like what she is now. Small—though tall for one so young—with pale hair and bright eyes filled with an innocence I had already lost. She spoke in the Common Tongue, which I didn’t yet understand, and tossed me a ring before leaving.
That gift, in the end, made my escape possible.
She was the first proof I had that something beautiful could exist within the walls of Ceilte, and the reason why, even now, I couldn’t bring myself to hate her as I should.
Fiona had no idea. It was clear she didn’t remember me, and I couldn’t blame her. She might have helped me escape that nightmare alive, but to her, I had been no more than a grain of sand lost in the vastness of her life.
That was why, when I found her collapsed in the forest, a nuk’hir looming over her, poised to devour her alive, I didn’t hesitate.
I knew exactly who she was the moment I caught the scent of spring flowers drifting from her skin—the very same scent she carried in the dungeons, forever etched into my memory.
Saving her was a way to repay the life debt I owed her.
It had nothing to do with the chaos she stirred within me.
My stomach churned whenever she drew near; my heart threatened to shatter my ribs when she smiled.
When I touched her during our training, the contact burned in a way I had never known, like a fever consuming me from the inside out.
It all felt too strange—so strange that, at times, I wondered if she had poisoned me or used some Fae magic to lead me astray.
"And what happened after?" she asked her brother, eager for news of the people she had left behind.
“Pure chaos. Lord Fenric demanded you be hunted down, accusing you of treason for fleeing without facing a proper trial. Alasdair was furious, but several lords had already aligned themselves with Fenric."
"That old fox!" Fiona snarled. Her fangs glinted in the cabin’s dim light, stirring heat in my veins that I forced myself to ignore. "He has always plotted against Father. And after Alasdair refused to give my hand to his horrible son, he took it as a personal insult."
"Fi, it's far worse than it seems."
Leone explained how Lord Fenric had attempted a coup d'état, seeking to seize the throne of Ceilte for himself. The first sparks of civil war had already been lit, splitting the kingdom in two—those who agreed with Fenric and those who remained by Alasdair’s side.
"But this couldn't have happened out of thin air! How did Father not realize Fenric was a turncoat?"
"He already knew, Fi," Leone said, dragging his hands through his short hair—the same shade Fiona’s had once been before she became an orc. Now hers were darker, like wet sand. "There has always been dissent against our family. But in recent years, under Alasdair’s pacifist policies, it’s only grown worse. ”
That much was true. Over the past decade, the fae had attacked us far less frequently. Still, from time to time, they would appear to remind us not to push deeper into Marukoksha—even though the forest was our ancestral land.
In the old days, before the courts began tearing each other apart for power and territory, the orcs of all clans lived throughout Marukoksha and cared for the great forest. Everything was ours, not just a sliver hidden in the heart of the woods.
Then, a High Fae from the Spring Court decided he wanted a piece of our land. He convinced the Autumn and Winter Courts that it would be wise—not only to keep the orcs contained but to preserve a so-called neutral middle ground.
The courts agreed. Together, they seized the forest, slaughtered many of our kind, and reduced our home to ruins.
That was how they built Ceilte. Since then, every lord had been tasked with holding that territory and driving Oksha farther back—just as had been done to the other clans, now forced to hide at the base of the mountains, sharing space with beasts and battling their own hunger.
Yet Oksha remained unyielding. We would not flee. We would fight for our home, even if it cost us our lives.
I watched the two of them as they spoke, their voices quick with excitement as they planned how to help their father. The closeness between them left a bitter taste in my mouth. I couldn't bear the thought of Fiona forgetting me—foolish as that thought was.
I stepped away from my spot, prepared to leave the hut.
I needed to speak with Kroshak about the bargain I had struck with Fiona and the brewing war in Ceilte.
We had to prepare for a possible strike now that we had dismantled the Autumn Court's forces.
That should have been my focus—not the female whose blue eyes haunted both my dreams and my nightmares.
"Malek, where are you going?" Fiona’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.
“It’s none of your business.”
My voice came out harsher than intended, and Fiona stiffened, hurt flashing briefly across her face before she could hide it.
"Hey, don't speak to her like that!" The kir’shakur—despite looking like a stiff breeze could knock him over—forced himself upright and stepped in front of his sister.
Seeing Fiona step back behind him only irritated me further. Where was the female who always had something to say? Her brother’s presence had been enough to turn her back into a sheltered princess.
So I didn’t mince words.
Not taking my eyes off her, I said, “You don’t need me. You already got what you wanted—for me to hide you and strike a bargain to protect you. That was my mistake. Still, I’ll keep my word. Unlike certain people, I don’t break it.”
I hoped my words would stir the fire I knew lived inside her—and they did.
With a fierce glare, she sprang to her feet in one fluid motion, slipping past her brother, who now stood noticeably shorter than she did.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Ruk’hai, but I don’t go back on my word!" she barked, thrusting a finger directly in my face.
Anyone else would have lost a limb for such a gesture, but Fiona was different. Her insolence sent a jolt through me, making my cock throb. I could only imagine that delicious mouth wrapping around me until I was delirious with pleasure.
I let my gaze drift over her, feigning indifference. In truth, it was the perfect opportunity to take her in. The scent of blossoms filled the cabin, seeping into the air and settling deep in my lungs.
She reminded me of the meadow my parents used to take me to as a child during a happier time, back when we still held dominion over our portion of Marukoksha. Today, that same place was a graveyard of orcs and kir’shakur, its wildflowers long reduced to ash by fire and blood.
"I promised with blood that I would help you, and so I will!" She moved closer until our chests nearly touched. "Now sit down and listen to what I have to say."
She turned to her brother, ignoring me, and my body reacted instantly. There was something in the way she commanded me that drove me wild; I clenched my jaw until my teeth ached. I hated how easily she dismissed me—and even more how it sent heat racing through my veins.
"I have a plan."
? ? ?
It was already past midnight by the time we left the cabin. After hours of debating strategies and tearing apart Fiona’s plan, we had missed the kurark, and my stomach rumbled in protest. I cast a sidelong glance at the female beside me, who was lost in thought.
Her plan was bold—almost reckless—and yet it just might work. If it did, the change we had always dreamed of, the freedom we had sought for generations, the chance to live without fear… could finally become real.
The only challenge would be convincing my people that this was the right path. Because of that, I needed to speak with Kroshak as soon as possible.
He would be waiting by now. Uruha must have told him about the kir’shakur hidden inside the iron structure.
The healer was one of the most respected elders of the clan alongside Kroshak, her life mate, but she had a tongue as sharp as my axe.
Plus, she wasn't pleased with the direction things were taking.
From the moment I brought Fiona here—wounded and unconscious—Uruha knew what she was. Anyone paying attention could see it. Her appearance alone raised suspicion, along with the fact that she spoke only the Common Tongue.
She claimed to be from Oguk, unaware that all orcs from there bore red tattoos marking the Song of Life, and she had none. Her pale hair and eyes only made the lie more obvious.
Fortunately, most of the village paid little attention to such details and simply accepted that she was different.
When we reached the center of the village, Fiona stopped and turned to face me. The smile she gave stirred feelings that were far from pure. Apparently, she had already forgotten our earlier argument.
“Maka’ri for everything, Ruk’hai.” Her voice was soft as a spring breeze.
I nodded, unable to find the right words.
Fiona smiled once more before turning to go back to Kalisha’s cabin. I didn't want her to leave. Not yet.
"Fiona!" I called, fighting the grimace that twisted across my face at the sound of my own voice cutting through the silence. The village was quiet—everyone was already asleep or tucked inside with their families.
She glanced over her shoulder, blue eyes catching the glow of the bonfire.
"You..." I cleared my throat, shifting awkwardly. "You haven't eaten."
"...Yes?"
"Do you want to have dinner with me?"
Her smile widened, and even in the darkness, I saw her cheeks flush.
"I would love to, Malek."