Chapter 23
The bathwater had long since cooled, but for a moment longer, Orlena lingered beside the deep pool built into the floor.
She breathed in the faint scent of lavender oil the attendant had left for her.
Steam still clung to the high stone ceiling of the bathing chamber.
It curled lazily through the carved beams above.
She glanced at the pool and sighed. She was a long way from Soza and her tiny bathroom.
She wrapped a soft robe around herself and tied the sash at her waist, stepping into the adjoining chamber.
Every time she entered, the sight of it had her gasping.
Their chamber was larger than the entire house she had lived in.
Thick stone walls curved upward to high timber rafters.
A wide hearth stood on the far wall, and embers glowed warmly beneath a mantel carved with old Orcish woodwork.
Soft rugs from the southern trade route covered the polished floor, their woven patterns rich with reds and golds.
And the bed.
The bed alone was larger than the one she’d slept in alone for so long.
It was comical to think of how she and Nargol had fit in her small one.
Orlena laughed quietly to herself as she padded across the room.
She stood by the massive bed that came to her waist. There was a footstool next to it to help her climb in.
Everything still felt surreal. She half expected to wake up back in Soza having dreamed all of this.
If that were to happen, she’d find some way for her to go back to a permanent sleep because she never wanted to wake up from this.
What felt unreal the most was that the one place she had always wanted to visit, she now called home.
Angarth Keep.
This was her home with Nargol.
She walked to the open window where the evening wind slipped through, carrying in the cool scent of the surrounding forest. From where she stood she could see the lights of Udenia that stretched across the valley like scattered stars.
For so long she had believed that leaving Soza was a dream. Something that she would achieve in the distant future.
Looking out, she could see that the world was more than she had ever dreamed it to be. She gazed off into the distance, past the stretch of the town. She had so much she wanted to discover. So many places to visit.
A smile appeared on her lips as she brushed her hair.
Her thoughts drifted back to that morning.
She had spent it walking through the gardens with Amuleta.
The gardens of Angarth Keep were becoming one of her favorite places to visit.
Terraced stone paths wound between flowing trees and flower beds cultivated by the keep’s caretakers.
Vines climbed carved pillars. Fountains trickled gently into shallow basins where birds gathered to drink.
It all seemed so magical.
Amuleta had met her there after breakfast. Orlena had grown fond of the young woman quickly. Through she was half orc, half human, there was a softness to Amuleta that reminded Orlena of herself. She was kind, was quick to laugh, and had a curiosity about the world just like she did.
They had walked slowly beneath blooming branches and just talked.
Amuleta had spoken about her upcoming bonding ceremony with Magoza.
It was easy to see how much Amuleta was in love with Nargol’s elder sister.
She had asked Orlena questions about human customs. Having grown up in a primarily orc town, she was eager to learn about things she may have missed out on.
Orlena used the time to also ask her questions about the orc traditions.
Some she was aware of, but living in a village like Soza, she hadn’t known some.
They shared a bond. They both came from different backgrounds, but it didn’t keep them from finding common ground. Orlena considered Amuleta a friend who had teased her gently before they’d parted ways.
“You realize, after our bonding ceremonies, we will officially be sisters.” A grin had spread across Amuleta’s beautiful face.
The thought had sent a warm flutter of nerves through Orlena’s chest.
A sister.
She had never had one. She’d never had anyone close enough where she would consider them one either. She’d had friends in Soza, but none she would call sister.
Not only was she gaining a mate for life, but she was gaining a sister…a whole family. Nargol’s parents and sister had welcomed her with open arms. They hadn’t cared once that she was human.
She turned and laid her brush down on the dresser and found her sleep cap. She placed it on her head and tucked her hair within it. She changed out of her robe and pulled a nightgown on. It was getting late, and Nargol had yet to return to their quarters.
Her mate had been extremely busy since they had arrived in Udenia.
But she still made time for Orlena.
She climbed up into the bed and slipped beneath the blankets.
Tomorrow she had plans to visit the human women who had be brought to safety in Udenia.
The chiefess, Dura, had arranged for housing in the southern quarter of the town.
Orlena had heard that some of the women were wanting to stay in Udenia while a few wanted to explore and make their homes elsewhere.
The thought filled her with pride. Each of the women were able to make their own decisions about their futures. She was happy for each of them.
The door to their suite opened. She sat forward as her heart did a little pitter-patter.
Orlena’s breath caught at the sight of her mate stepping inside the room. She closed the door behind her with a soft thud. She paused and held her hand behind her back as if she were hiding something.
She still wore her official uniform. Dark leather tunic and pants fitted her powerful frame perfectly.
The crest of the Nidani clan was embedded in her tunic in silver over her heart.
Her thick black hair was braided tightly back from her face, and the firelight cast warm shadows across the strong lines of her features.
To Orlena, she looked magnificent.
Nargol’s expression softened the moment she saw her.
“You’re already in bed,” she murmured.
Orlena rose from the bed and slid out of it. She crossed the room before she could stop herself. Nargol met her halfway. Their kiss was gentle. It was slow, warm, and filled with heated passion.
It left Orlena trembling when they parted. Nargol bent down and rested her forehead against Orlena’s.
“I figured you would be here once I fell asleep,” Orlena said softly.
“The council meeting was much longer than expected, and then some other things came up.”
“Is everything all right?” Orlena tilted her head.
“Better than all right.” A smile tugged at Nargol’s mouth. She lifted the hand that she’d kept behind her back. In it was a rolled piece of parchment.
“What is that?” Orlena asked.
“A map.” Nargol chuckled. “Come here.”
She guided Orlena over to the table where they took their meals when they didn’t want to join the others. She spread the paper across the table. It was a map of Aghon.
Orlena gasped. She took in the beautiful artwork of the country.
Mountains carved in careful inked lines. Rivers winding across the land. Forest shaded in deep green. Small settlements marked with tiny symbols.
Aghon was enormous.
It was far larger than she had ever imagined. She looked up at Nargol, confused.
“What is this for?” she asked.
“I want you to choose.” Nargol’s amber eyes twinkled with excitement.
“Choose what?”
“Where we go first.”
Orlena stared at her. Nargol tapped the map gently. Orlena glanced down at it, and her heart skipped a beat.
“You mean…umm…” Orlena could barely formulate a word.
She flicked her gaze back to Nargol who watched her with a smile on her lips.
“I promised you that I would show you the world. Now where would you want to go first?” Nargol said.
Emotion swelled suddenly in Orlena’s chest. She looked down at the map again and reached out to trace the inked mountains with shaking fingers. It had always been her dream to travel and see all that she could.
“I just thought you were saying that,” she whispered. She had believed Nargol before, but she thought it would be some fantasy. Never would she have thought Nargol would follow through on it. She had given her so much already.
“I never say things I do not mean,” Nargol murmured.
Orlena grinned and hopped in place.
Where…oh, where should they go first?
“This place is huge. How am I supposed to choose where to go first? I don’t even know where to start!” Orlena leaned against Nargol who wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She studied the map more closely. “There are so many places.”
Forests. Cities. Towns. Villages.
It felt impossible to see everything that Aghon had to offer.
“I may have an idea.” Nargol brushed her lips in a soft kiss on Orlena’s forehead. She reached forward and tapped a tiny settlement near the western border, near the ocean. “Here.”
“Where is that?” Orlena moved closer to the table.
Nargol’s arm slipped from her shoulders. Orlena leaned down to see the town’s name.
Begoz.
“It sits along the Kuzgun Sea. It’s one of Aghon’s biggest harbors for the import and export of goods,” Nargol said. She cocked her head to the side as she pointed to the sea and the lands nearest the town. “I hear it’s beautiful around this time of year. You should definitely go visit.”
“Really?” Orlena frowned.
“I received a report this morning. I found someone,” Nargol said.
“Someone?” Now Orlena was confused. She glanced at the town of Begoz, and she’d never heard of it until now. Why would she be seeking someone out there?
“Your brother is there.”
The world seemed to stop. The room, the firelight, the rustle of the wind beyond the windows.
Everything seemed to pause.
Orlena blinked and had to remember to breathe.
“My brother?” Orlena whispered. She rested a hand on her stomach as nervousness overtook her.
“He’s alive and living in Begoz.”
Tears spilled down Orlena’s cheeks before she even realized she was crying. She stared at Nargol. This woman was more than anything she could have ever wished for. She’d told Nargol of her upbringing, how her father had traded her off and how she wished she could find her brother.
“What about my father?” she asked.
“He died some years ago,” Nargol said softly.
Orlena nodded. That made sense. The letters had stopped coming from him. Even though she had continued to send them, but eventually, she’d stopped after not receiving any replies. She reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“Does he even know I’m alive?” Orlena asked.
“He will soon enough,” Nargol said.
Orlena flew to her and buried her face against Nargol’s shoulder. She was overwhelmed by relief, fear, and hope all at once.
“I want to see him,” she whispered. She lifted her head and stared up at Nargol.
“You will.” Nargol cupped Orlena’s cheek. “We will go together and explore the western coast of Aghon.”
“Even at this time?” Orlena asked.
Aghon was preparing for war. She was sure Nargol would be needed to help defend their country from the trolls.
“There’s no time like the present. War will always be on the horizon. Helping you achieve your dreams, we do this now.”
Orlena leaned forward and kissed her. This time, it was one she poured all of her emotions into.
She loved this orc more than she loved life itself.
She wrapped her arms around Nargol’s neck just as she was lifted from the floor.
Nargol cradled her in her arms and strode toward their bed.
She laid her down gently, breaking the kiss.
“I love you,” Orlena whispered. She rose on her elbows and watched Nargol stripping her uniform from her body. The sight of her orc’s toned figure immediately sent her heart racing.
“And I love you, doakir,” Nargol said. Her eyes darkened; they took Orlena in.
She quickly shed her nightgown and tossed it somewhere on the floor. She bid her orc forward with two fingers.
Nargol grinned and knelt on the bed. She crawled over Orlena who fell back onto the mattress. She bent down and took Orlena’s lips in a deep kiss. Orlena parted her thighs to allow her mate to rest between them.
In that moment, surrounded by warmth, firelight, and love…
Orlena didn’t need to dream any longer.
They had already come true.