Chapter 19
Nineteen
ZAKAI
Aweek passed before the snow melted enough that it was safe for people to journey home. The other clans who’d had tributes here learning from Finn took the opportunity, and the little village got smaller as a handful of tents were taken down and brought with them.
I didn’t want to leave yet, I wasn’t ready, so I made an excuse when Uttin suggested we leave as well. “I am feeling unwell. I cannot go yet.”
He knew better than to truly believe me, but he allowed me more time to stay beside him without complaint.
Another week passed much the same, and when Uttin suggested we begin our journey, I made him bring me out to the pasture to find a stallion for me to ride and purposely fell off so I wouldn’t have to go.
I complained constantly of a sprained ankle and refused to even consider leaving while I was in so much pain.
Uttin gave me extra attention all week, ensuring I felt no pain by fucking me senseless each night until I was too blissed out to feel anything but pleasure.
When I could no longer fake the pain thanks to Ambrose examining me and saying I was all healed, I sat in the receiving tent near the fire, pouting as Uttin made plans for our journey.
“You’re still here?” Godr asked as he dropped onto a cushion beside me. He was a friendly barbarian, bonded to Ambrose the evil doctor, and once we’d been properly introduced, he always came over to say hello while he waited for his bondmate to be done with his work.
Scowling, I hugged my knees against my chest. Was it so wrong that I was?
He eyed me for a moment before blowing in his hands and rubbing them together, holding them a little closer to the fire. “You know, there are usually multiple storms in the season. This one was the biggest in a while, but there will be more.”
Lifting my head, I frowned at him. “Why are you telling me this?”
He shrugged one shoulder, his expression relaxed. “I’m just saying, if you’re worried about the weather, it might be better to stick around. There’s no telling when the next storm will come.”
Straightening a little, I studied him more intently. “They said it was safe.”
He tipped his head back and forth. “It is. It is unlikely any storm will be as bad as the first. That kind of storm doesn’t happen often. If there is another while you travel, it is likely it will pass quickly.”
“But you’re saying it could happen while we travel,” I said, relief and excitement filling my gut. I could use this.
Godr nodded, a mischievous grin flashing across his face. “If you say something to Uttin, he will likely agree with you. He has always been cautious.”
My gaze darted to where Uttin was still talking to Orthorr.
Now was as good a chance as any. I launched to my feet, waving at Godr as I beelined for the two in the corner.
I snagged Simon along the way as he came into the receiving tent, since I was getting better, but my language skills still weren’t enough for me to follow along with everything.
He came with a confused frown, but as my friend, he didn’t question what I was doing and only followed my lead. I loved him fiercely for his loyalty.
Uttin and Orthorr were arguing in hushed tones as we joined them. It seemed Orthorr wasn’t pleased by Uttin insisting on going with me, but Uttin wouldn’t be dissuaded.
“He was my tribute. It is my job to protect him,” Uttin growled.
Orthorr glared at him. “You are needed here.”
“I am not,” Uttin argued. “If I am not ready by now to take over, then perhaps it wasn’t meant to be. I will not break my oath to protect him to stay here and train. It would dishonor me to do so.”
The only reason I was keeping up with the conversation was Simon whispering in my ear.
They spoke too quickly and with words I’d never learned.
I was by no means an expert. Not like Simon, who promised to travel with me when I finally did return home to ensure I didn’t wind up in another situation like I had when I was brought here.
I was a slow learner, though Uttin praised me plenty for my diligence and rewarded me with his cock when I spent an entire day speaking in his tongue only.
Oh, who was I kidding? He’d reward me with his cock even if I refused to say a word. I was becoming a whore for the sexy barbarian, and I didn’t even care.
Uttin and Orthorr continued to argue. Meanwhile, my mind raced for the words I wanted to use to convince them to let me stay. I wasn’t ready to return home yet. I wasn’t ready to give up what I’d found with Uttin.
“It’s too cold,” I interjected before they could get too heated. Both men looked my way, and I lifted my chin in a haughty way I’d used when speaking to courtiers in the palace when I wanted them to shut up. “I won’t travel while it’s so cold. I’ll freeze.”
Uttin’s brows furrowed, and he looked like he would argue, but Orthorr seemed to consider my demand seriously. “It will remain cold until the spring season. That is months away. You do not wish to return sooner?”
“I do not,” I insisted with a snotty tone I hadn’t used in weeks now. “I will not subject myself to the icy weather and get caught in another storm because you are in a hurry to get rid of me.”
Orthorr’s eyes widened in surprise, and Simon seemed to bite back a snort, his carefully neutral expression slipping a little.
It was Uttin’s expression that held my attention.
He looked calculating, and when he locked eyes with me, there was a heat there I was growing familiar with.
I wasn’t sure how he’d felt before now, but that look made me think he wanted me to leave as much as I wanted to go.
“I didn’t mean to imply such a thing,” Orthorr said cautiously. “But the tournament is in the spring. Uttin is needed and—”
“The tournament can wait,” Uttin interrupted with a scowl.
That got him a dirty look in response, but I interrupted before they could get started again, using Simon to translate my words since I was struggling to keep up. “You said it was a tournament. It is possible he won’t win. If that is the case, then this discussion is unnecessary.”
“And if he does?” Orthorr asked, a stubborn set to his jaw. He fully believed Uttin would succeed. So did I. There was nothing that Uttin couldn’t do in my opinion.
“We will discuss that when the time comes,” I sniped. Because if I had my way, the time would never come. My parents already believed me dead. Perhaps that was for the best. At least out here, I could have what I wanted without consequences. Out here, I could keep Uttin.
Simon cast me a curious look I caught out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored him, waiting for Orthorr to agree.
And he had to agree. Simon told me he was worried if I was unhappy that I would ask my family to declare war against them.
I would never—they weren’t at fault and had done a great deal to care for me since I arrived—but he didn’t need to know that.
With a sigh, Orthorr nodded. “Then that is what we will do.”
It took work to keep the sly grin off my face. I did love getting what I wanted.
Since they no longer needed to discuss where I would go next, they turned back to clan matters. Simon pulled me away since neither of us had interest in that conversation and dragged me to a corner to speak privately.
“What was that?” he asked, his eyes alight with curiosity.
I shrugged casually. “Nothing. I just don’t want to travel in the cold. It is hard enough to sleep here with a fire in the tent. I refuse to sleep in nothing but a bedroll during this freezing weather.”
He snorted, rolling his eyes. “I’m sure that story will work with everyone else, but I know better. Why don’t you want to go?”
I made an attempt to keep my words to myself, but Simon was my closest confidant in the clan, and my words escaped me after a short staring contest. “I do not wish to return to a life where I’ll be expected to marry a woman and make babies.
I am happy here. If I can stay a little longer and enjoy my freedom then why shouldn’t I? ”
He raised an eyebrow at me, a slow, smug grin overtaking his face. “He got to you, didn’t he? The magic barbarian cock changed your mind about leaving.”
Making a face didn’t sway him in the slightest. My shoulders slumped in defeat, and I sighed heavily. “Yes. It’s amazing.”
He cackled so loud it drew others’ attention.
He ignored them, grabbing my wrist and pulling me toward the group of male bondmates that gathered together almost weekly to share their stories.
Simon had invited me a few times before to join them, but I preferred to return to the tent with Uttin.
Since he was still busy with Orthorr, I let Simon drag me into the little circle and pull me onto a pillow beside him.
“Gentlemen, another male has been enthralled by a barbarian. I told you their cocks were magic.”
Finn, the teacher, blushed hotly but nodded in fervent agreement.
The man beside him, Patrick, the cook, laughed.
On his other side was Briar, a weaver bonded to another terrifying looking barbarian named Khrull.
He bit his lip to hide his grin. And next to Simon sat Matthew, who twisted his lips in an attempt not to smile, but when Simon bumped shoulders with him, he let out a snicker and a nod.
The only male bondmate missing from the group was the evil doctor, who thankfully was too busy to be here.
Leaning forward a little, Finn asked, “Does that mean you’re bonding with Uttin? I’ve always thought he needs a companion. He works so hard and needs someone to care for him.”
My face fell, and I drew in a breath, letting it out in a huff. I didn’t want to answer that. Doing so would mean admitting that my attempts to hold off my return home were only temporary. I didn’t think Orthorr would allow me to stay forever.
Simon put his hand on mine, squeezing supportively. “We’ll figure it out. If you want to keep your big barbarian, then we’ve got your back.”
My eyes trailed over the other men in the group, all nodding firmly and giving me reassuring smiles. The tension in my shoulders slipped away, and a smile stretched across my face. “Alright. I look forward to your ideas.”