Chapter 12
Twelve
ZAKAI
“No.”
Uttin shot me an exasperated look, but I stubbornly refused to go along with his plan.
He wasn’t pleased that the one word in his language I used regularly was the word no, but maybe he should have thought of that before teaching it to me.
Besides, what did he expect when he suggested going out of the tent in this freezing weather.
He’d had to go out at one point and move snow to avoid it ripping through the side of the tent, there was so much of it.
There was no way I was going outside right now.
“Food,” he growled in my own language to emphasize his point. I raised an eyebrow at him. We had food here. Granted it wasn’t very good food—dried meat and bread wasn’t at all what I was used to in my life—but I’d put up with it to avoid the cold. At least in Uttin’s tent, it was warm.
Irritation flashed across his face; I could tell he was losing his patience with me.
He wanted to go out, but I wouldn’t let him leave me all alone.
I was too afraid I’d freeze to death while he was gone.
What if the tent collapsed under the weight of the snow?
What if I accidentally smothered the fire?
I had no knowledge of how to start one; someone had needed to do it for me the night before.
Uttin had to stay here so I could stay alive through this godsforsaken weather.
He seemed to cast around for some kind of idea to convince me, but there was nothing he could say that would—
“Simon.”
I jerked my head up. Wherever we were going, Simon would be there?
Simon was the only one in this entire camp that understood me.
After what felt like weeks being unable to understand or have anyone understand me, I’d lost track of exactly how long it had been, it was a gift I wouldn’t scoff at. But… It was so cold…
A whimper escaped me as I looked toward the tent flap.
The wind had been excruciating, what little of it had come through while he was dealing with the snow and the tent flat wasn’t fully tied closed.
I couldn’t imagine going out in it. He’d had to fetch me a pot to piss in because there was no way I was pulling my dick out in that weather. It would freeze and fall off.
Uttin kneeled in front of me, cupping my face in one of his big roughened hands, his voice low and warm. “No cold. Uttin and Zakai go.”
I snorted at the poor attempt at a sentence. It was a little odd trying to use his tongue while he tried to speak mine, but I appreciated his attempts and could accept the lessons if he was putting in the same effort. A little, anyway.
He’d put in a lot of effort to care for me since I’d arrived.
He brought me food and new clothes, he started warming water in a pot for me to clean myself, and despite having my own tent, he allowed me to stay by his side and kept me warm all night.
A strange feeling twisted in my chest, and I felt my conviction waver.
He knew I hated the cold. He wouldn’t keep me out there long. Would he?
I scowled at myself as I gave in and nodded. I was such a pushover.
Instead of pulling me to my feet right away, Uttin went to his chest of clothes, pulling out a cloak.
It dwarfed me when he wrapped it around me, and he gathered the material up until only my face stuck out, hoisting me into his arms so he could carry me where we needed to go.
A smile tugged at my lips, and I buried my face against him, stealing as much of his warmth as I was able as we stepped out into the frozen wind.
We weren’t outside for long, but in that time, it felt as though the wind had stolen the breath from my lungs, and no amount of furs would truly keep me warm in this kind of weather.
I guessed it was a good thing I’d agreed to wait before traveling home.
If I had been outside without a tent when the storm hit, I truly would have died.
I didn’t watch where we were going, keeping my face tucked away until we stepped into another tent. The wind stopped pummeling me, and the sound of a crackling fire and voices took the place of the whistling howl the wind had shouted at me.
“He lives!” a familiar voice called.
Enjoying being wrapped in Uttin’s arms, I didn’t immediately pull away.
Instead, I peeked out from where I was tucked against Uttin’s neck, searching out Simon in the crowd of people filling the massive tent.
I recognized it as the tent I’d first been brought to when I arrived.
It had been expanded somehow, and a large fire was roaring in the middle with a big hole above it to let out the smoke.
There were many people inside already, few of them familiar to me.
Uttin had kept me in his tent for the most part, so I didn’t know many of the people of the clan.
Simon sat in his barbarian’s lap, a fur tucked around him and his hair a little windblown.
He waved me over, patting the spot beside them, and ignored the irritated growl his barbarian made when Uttin set me on my feet next to them.
I gave him an incredulous look when he pulled away, but he just smirked at me and said, “Food,” before ducking out of the tent again.
“How’d you manage to convince him to learn Erabi?” Simon asked, offering his barbarian a bite of food from his bowl and smiling when the big brute took it from his fingers instead of holding the food himself.
“We are learning together,” I grumbled, jealous of the attention Simon was getting. Uttin had been completely naked last night and still didn’t touch me. If I wasn’t so sure of myself, I’d be hurt by his actions.
Okay, so I was a little hurt. Simon said Uttin had no preference for gender, and he’d already explained that there was no requirement to lay with another while in the clan’s care. So why was Uttin still avoiding me?
Uttin came back with two steaming bowls, his cheeks pink from the cold and his expression stoic like usual.
The expression didn’t change when he looked at me, and I felt another pang in my chest because of the lackluster response.
I wasn’t used to being dismissed. People fell over themselves to give me what I wanted at home.
I was a prince of Al Nuzem. And yet here, I was nothing.
Not even a tribute in their eyes anymore.
And to Uttin, I was only a nuisance he had to deal with until he could be free of me again.
UTTIN
I thought it lucky that Simon was already in the receiving tent eating his meal with Feigrind when I arrived with Zakai.
I would have fetched him if I had to, but I was glad to be spared the trouble.
Giving Zakai someone to speak to while I conversed with Orthorr was supposed to keep him happy.
But I was gone only long enough to get our food and when I came back, he looked dejected and hurt.
I frowned as I approached, shooting Simon a questioning look.
“Why does he look like that?”
Simon studied him for a long moment before asking in Zakai’s tongue.
To my surprise, Zakai only grumbled a short response and turned his face away.
Simon’s eyebrows shot up and he pushed, but Zakai was not as receptive to him as he had been the day before.
When I sat beside him and handed him his bowl, his pout only grew, and he seemed to slump in on himself.
Simon’s lips twitched, and he sat back against Feigrind, humming when his bondmate wrapped his arms around him. It surprised me that Zakai scowled because of this. I knew he had no issue with male pairs since he had attempted to lay with me many times. So then why was he so upset?
“What am I missing?” I demanded of Simon.
His grin was mischievous, and I felt I wouldn’t like his response.
“He’s jealous.”
That made me frown, and Feigrind tighten his grip, moving his bondmate a little farther away from Zakai. Simon rolled his eyes and smacked Feigrind’s leg in response.
“Not of you, dummy. Of me.”
Feigrind looked startled, and my own jealousy swam to the surface. I had cared for Zakai since he arrived. Why would he want Feigrind instead?
Simon looked between us and rolled his eyes again, this time so dramatically that I had to fight the urge to smack him. Feigrind would murder me if I tried, even if it was only a tap in retribution for his brattiness.
“You two are idiots. He’s a prince. He’s used to having the attention on him.
And the one guy he wants attention from is being all noble and keeping him at arm’s length.
He’s jealous of the attention I’m getting, not of my bondmate.
” He reached up and patted Feigrind’s cheek affectionately.
“Not that you’re not sexy. But if he was jealous because of you, I’d have to gut him, and I’d rather not.
My head would end up on a spike outside Al Nuzem’s capital city.
” He locked eyes with me again. “If you want to make him feel better, then stop acting like he’s a poisonous snake who could bite you at any moment. ”
I didn’t think of Zakai in this way, and it bothered me that he might think I did. “I do give him attention. We practice language together and share meals. He is not a snake.”
Simon sighed dramatically. “Not that kind of attention. He wants cuddles and kisses. He said he’s come onto you a few times, but you ignore him. You’re hurting his feelings.”
I grimaced. “That wasn’t my intention. But I did not wish to repeat the mistake Godr made with Ambrose. Besides, he is a prince. Should he not remain untouched until he is returned home?”
Simon snorted. “Believe me, he’s been touched plenty.
Spending time with you won’t change that.
And I already talked to him about the whole choice thing.
He knows he doesn’t have to. But if he’s anything like me, going so long without sex has to be irritating for him.
Especially when the object of his desire sleeps next to him each night. ”
My stomach clenched tightly at the thought. It wasn’t that I didn’t want Zakai. I just felt responsibility toward him. I was meant to keep him safe and happy, not to slake my lust with him. But if my refusal was bringing him unhappiness, perhaps I was only punishing us both.
To test Simon’s theory, I set my bowl aside and picked up the little prince, settling him in my lap like Simon sat upon Feigrind.
Zakai looked startled at first, but I didn’t miss the pleased smile that flashed across his face before he focused on his stew again.
Simon shot me a look that said ‘I told you so’. I ignored it.
Being in my lap warmed Zakai enough to converse with Simon.
I had meant to seek Orthorr and check in, but he wasn’t here, and I was unwilling to leave Zakai after seeing how unhappy he was to sit alone in the short time it took for me to get our food.
Instead, I ate my meal and spoke with the brothers who had braved the weather to come here to socialize.
Some, like Einar, wouldn’t come near the receiving tent and would instead hole up with his bondmate until the storm had passed.
Others, like Feigrind and Khrull, enjoyed socializing with the clan and came here to eat together like they would in the village center if the weather was better.
Khrull’s bondmate, a sweet man named Briar, sat a little farther away, weaving with a few others while talking amongst themselves.
Children played together in another corner with their parents watching over them, and some of the older members of the clan sat by the fire to stay warm and shared stories amongst themselves.
It was peaceful. It had been a long time since I took a moment to truly feel at peace, and I enjoyed the time I got.
It didn’t take long, however, for Zakai to grow annoyed with my attention being away from him. He wiggled around until he was straddling me and could put his face directly in front of mine, his little scowl marred by the pout. I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Do you need something, tavi?”
Simon snickered at the name I used for him, but I knew Zakai used something worse for me.
Zakai, irritated at my use of my own language, huffed and crossed his arms, glaring at me. I should have figured out sooner that he was a prince. He was a petulant little brat when he didn’t get his way. There was something wrong with me that I found it so adorable.
“You know,” Simon said, interrupting our stare off, “if you really want him to learn, it might be better to give him an incentive.”
I glanced his direction, ignoring the triumphant grin Zakai gave me out of the corner of my eye. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “Einar told me he learned the common tongue with incentive from his traveling companion. Any time he attempted a conversation, he got sucked off.” He gestured to Zakai. “I bet it’d work for him too.”
Zakai had no idea what we were saying, and he wasn’t pleased about that, glowering at the three of us.
It wasn’t a bad idea to reward the little prince for good behavior, but it went against my original plan.
I’d refused to lay with him until he understood my words.
If I rewarded his learning with sex, he might stop trying.
But I couldn’t say I wasn’t intrigued, especially with Zakai’s ass in my lap, inadvertently rubbing against my cock every time he wiggled.