Chapter 19
Kael
A month had passed since Judge Farinholt dismissed the charges, and my life had transformed in ways I'd never imagined.
I stood at the window of the new sheriff's office—a modest building near the village council hall—watching the morning unfold.
Orc children ran past on their way to the community center.
Tori waved from across the square, coming back from a day spent at the winery with Argon.
The scent of fresh bread drifted from the common house, and I saw Jordan and Ruka on the porch of the clinic stealing kisses.
My village. My responsibility now.
The weight of the badge on my chest still felt strange sometimes. Sheriff. Me. The Orc who'd spent time in a human jail cell, who'd been ready to confess to murder to protect his brother, who'd broken more rules than he could count.
But Ruka had been right when he'd appointed me.
The village needed someone who understood both worlds—Orc and human.
Someone who could navigate the complicated legalities of our new sovereign status.
Someone who'd proven he could work with human law enforcement when necessary, and stand against it when required.
Someone who had Sarah Potter on speed dial.
The thought made me smile. Sarah had moved most of her things into my cabin but still kept her condo in Franklin to be close to work. We alternated between both places, and I hadn't spent a single night without her since we'd confessed our love to each other. Couldn't imagine it anymore.
My phone buzzed. Speak of the devil.
Running late. Kelsey called—BBB issues again. I'll be there by noon. Love you.
My jaw tightened. The Better Business Bureau. Again.
Dawson.
The bastard was still out there, still sheriff of Franklin, still causing problems. The FBI investigation was ongoing, but so far they hadn't found enough evidence to arrest him. He'd been careful, covering his tracks, making sure nothing could be directly traced back to him.
He hadn't come within a mile of Sarah—not after what happened in her office.
But he'd found other ways to make his displeasure known.
Businesses that were friendly with Orcs suddenly found themselves facing "compliance issues" with the Better Business Bureau.
Permits were delayed. Inspections became more frequent and more aggressive.
Kelsey's pharmacy had been hit hardest. She'd been one of the first human business owners to openly welcome Orc customers, to stock medications in dosages appropriate for our larger bodies, and it was well known her friends had taken Orc males as mates.
Now she was facing weekly inspections, citations for minor infractions, threats of license suspension.
Sarah was fighting it, of course. Filing complaints, documenting everything, building a case for harassment. But it was slow going, and in the meantime, Kelsey was hemorrhaging money on lost business.
I hated feeling helpless. Hated that I couldn't just walk into Dawson's office and—
No. That wasn't who I was anymore. I was the sheriff now. I had to think strategically, work within the system, trust Sarah to handle the legal battles while I focused on protecting the village.
My phone buzzed again. This time it was Ruka.
Council meeting tomorrow. Don't forget.
Right. The meeting about expanding the village boundaries. More legal paperwork, more negotiations with the government, more headaches.
Being sheriff wasn't just about law enforcement. It was about being the bridge between our world and theirs. About sitting through endless meetings, reviewing contracts, mediating disputes, and somehow making it all work.
I loved it.
I loved the challenge, the responsibility, the feeling that I was building something that mattered. That I was protecting my people not just with strength but with strategy.
Sarah had taught me that. Had shown me that sometimes the most powerful weapon wasn't your fists but your mind.
The door opened and Argon walked in, carrying two cups of ale. "You look like you're plotting something."
"Just thinking." I took the offered cup, inhaling the rich scent. "About Dawson."
Argon's expression darkened. "Still no movement on the investigation?"
"Nothing concrete." I took a sip, the bitter taste grounding me. "But he's getting sloppy with the harassment. Sarah thinks we might be able to build a retaliation case."
"How long will that take?"
"Months. Maybe longer." I set down the cup harder than necessary. "Meanwhile, Kelsey's business is suffering, and other shop owners are getting nervous about associating with us."
"We could—"
"No." I cut him off, knowing where he was going. "We handle this legally. That's the whole point of sovereignty, remember? We prove we can govern ourselves, work within the system, be better than the prejudice they expect from us."
Argon studied me for a long moment. "You've changed."
"Sarah's influence."
"It's more than that." He leaned against the desk. "You've grown into this, Kael. You're thinking like a leader now, not just a warrior, not just my little brother."
The words settled something in my chest. Pride, maybe. Or just the satisfaction of knowing I was finally becoming the person I was meant to be.
"Speaking of Sarah," Argon said, his tone shifting to something more amused. "How did the family dinner go?"
I groaned. "Which one? There have been three in the past month."
Sarah's family had embraced me with an enthusiasm that was both touching and overwhelming. Her mother, aunts, and what felt like a dozen cousins had descended with the force of a small army, determined to welcome me into the fold.
"The one with your future mother-in-law," Argon clarified, grinning.
"She loves me," I said, unable to keep the smugness out of my voice. "Though I'm pretty sure it's mainly because I can clean her gutters without a ladder."
Argon laughed. "Practical woman."
"She also made me promise to take care of Sarah, threatened to hunt me down if I ever hurt her, and asked when we're getting married." I paused. "In that order."
"And what did you say?"
"That I'd die before I hurt her, and that the marriage thing was up to Sarah." I'd wanted to say more—wanted to tell her mother that I'd already decided Sarah was mine forever, that I'd been planning the proposal for weeks—but I'd held back. Sarah deserved to hear it first.
Today, if everything went according to plan.
My phone buzzed again. Sarah.
On my way. Should be there in 30. What's with all the mysterious texts about bringing a blindfold?
I grinned, typing back quickly.
You'll see. Trust me.
I always trust you. Doesn't mean I'm not curious.
Curiosity is good for you. Builds character.
I'm a lawyer. I have plenty of character.
You have plenty of stubbornness. Character is debatable.
I'm going to make you pay for that comment.
Looking forward to it. Wear something you don't mind getting wrinkled.
KAEL.
What? I'm talking about the drive.
Sure you are.
You have a dirty mind, counselor.
You're the one who brought up wrinkled clothing!
And you're the one who immediately assumed I meant something inappropriate. Says a lot about where YOUR mind went.
I hate you.
No you don't. You love me. You told me so this morning. Twice.
That was before you started being insufferable.
I'm always insufferable. You love that about me.
There was a pause, then:
...maybe a little.
That's my bossy girl.
I am NOT bossy.
You literally gave me a three-point directive about how to load the dishwasher in your condo yesterday.
Because you were doing it WRONG.
See? Bossy.
Efficient. There's a difference.
Keep telling yourself that. See you in 30. And bring the blindfold like I asked.
This better be good.
It will be. I promise.
I could practically feel her eye-roll through the phone, and it made me smile. This—the easy banter, the comfortable intimacy, the way we'd woven our lives together—this was everything I'd never known I wanted.
"You're doing that thing again," Argon said.
"What thing?"
"That thing where you get a dopey expression on your face whenever you think about Sarah."
"I don't get dopey."
"You absolutely do. It's actually kind of sweet."
I threw a pen at him. He caught it easily, still grinning.
"So what's the big surprise?" he asked. "The one requiring a blindfold?"
"You'll find out soon enough." I'd told him I'd be gone this afternoon, but not why. This was between me and Sarah.
"Plans that involve a blindfold and your mate?" Argon's eyebrows rose. "Should I be concerned?"
"Get your mind out of the gutter. This is romantic, not—" I stopped, reconsidering. "Well, it's both. But the romantic part comes first."
"I'm happy for you, brother." Argon's expression softened. "You deserve this. You both do."
Thirty minutes later, I was waiting by the gate when she pulled into the village. She climbed out, looking professional and beautiful in a charcoal suit, her hair pulled back in a neat bun.
"Hi," she said, rising on her toes to kiss me. I caught her around the waist, deepening the kiss until she made that little sound in the back of her throat that drove me crazy.
"Hi yourself." I pulled back reluctantly. "How's Kelsey?"
"Frustrated. Angry." Sarah's expression tightened. "They're threatening to pull her pharmacy license over a supposed inventory discrepancy that doesn't exist. I'm filing an emergency injunction, but—"
"But it's Dawson pulling strings, and proving it is nearly impossible."
"Exactly." She leaned against me, and I wrapped my arms around her, breathing in her scent. Vanilla and steel, with an undercurrent of stress that made my protective instincts flare.
"We'll get him," I promised. "Maybe not today, maybe not next week. But we'll get him."
"I know." She tilted her head back to look at me. "So what's this mysterious surprise? And why do I need a blindfold?" Sarah pulled a length of fabric from her pocket, waving it at me.
"Because if you knew where we're going, it wouldn't be a surprise." I took the scarf from her. "Trust me?"