Chapter 8 #2
Vartok began to chuckle, and my lips curled into a smile as I allowed my head to fall back against the pillows and my good eye to close.
“I am his prisoner,” I heard Lillian whisper. “You must not be kind to me.”
My lips pressed together to keep from frowning. Is that how she saw herself? As my captive?
My head hurt—hells, everything hurt—when I tried to remember what I’d said to her as I’d taken her from Tarbert Keep. Did she not realize I’d done so because she was my Mate?
Nay. She thinks herself yer captive, the same way ye were her father’s captive.
My brows drew into a frown as the exhaustion overtook me. I could hear my twin brother and my Mate—the two parts of my heart—talking quietly, but I couldn’t fight the allure of sleep any longer.
I needed to rest, to regain my strength…so I could prove myself to Lillian.
My lips parted, and I heard my voice whisper a word as oblivion claimed me.
“Mine.”
Lillian
‘Twas impossible not to be fascinated by Bloodfire Village and its people.
I tried to hold myself separate, I swear I did. I told myself, and anyone who would listen, that I was Kragorn’s captive. They looked at me, looked at him, frowned thoughtfully…and went on treating me with respect and—dare I say it?—kindness.
His grandmother was human, as he’d told me that day in the dungeon. Nan was not only the village healer, she was clearly used to being obeyed, judging how she bossed everyone around and how quickly the other women jumped to do her bidding, albeit with smiles on their lips.
She’d merely clucked her tongue the first time I’d confessed my role as Kragorn’s captive then handed me some herbs to steep.
“Ye’re his, aright,” she’d said, and I’d ducked my head in relief, glad I didn’t have to keep insisting who I was.
The other women didn’t seem to understand, though.
Kragorn’s brother was Vartok, and although they looked nothing alike—Vartok adorned himself in showy jewelry and seemed intent on charming me—‘twas clear they were close. His Mate was a dark-skinned, serious woman named Myra, who listened silently to Nan’s instructions about the sea holly tea, then did whatever she thought was best. She gave me quiet instructions on how to change Kragorn’s dressings, how to care for his eye, and what to watch for in case of infection, and I found myself admiring her very much.
When she asked to examine my twisted foot, I was not even embarrassed. She offered suggestions for the pain on rainy days, and I found myself grinning hesitantly with her.
As the days melted together, ‘twas clear Kragorn was healing…
and at a faster rate than a human male would.
His right eye was dead, and Nan and Myra agreed naught could be done for it, but at least he had kept it.
The old injuries, the ones I had tried to heal in the dungeon, had long since scabbed over, and the newer ones were healing well.
“Ye did fine, lassie,” Nan announced with a grunt as she straightened after peering at the slash in Kragorn’s side. “I dinnae ken where ye got yer healing knowledge from, but ye kept him alive, ‘tis for certes.”
“Oh, nay,” I whispered, wringing the washcloth too tightly in my nervousness, spilling the warm water back into the bowl. “He is strong, he would have—”
“Dinnae listen to her, Nan,” Kragorn announced, lowering himself back to the pillow with a sigh. “She cleaned my wounds, fed me, kept the infection at bay. I would have died of thirst, starvation, my wounds—a dozen things, had she no’ been there.”
I risked a peek at him, to see if he really believed such a thing…and startled to see his green gaze staring back at me so intently.
Pinned by his focus, I couldn’t think of words to respond, but began to tremble.
Why now did I have to remember the feel of his hands on my body? The way he’d claimed me, the way he’d called me his? The way he’d praised me as I’d come undone in the most delicious way possible?
Such a thing had been merely a dream a month ago.
But now I belonged to a male who had claimed not just my body, but my desire and my mind and…could my soul belong to him as well? Was such a thing possible?
I thought of the other females here in Bloodfire Village who had showed me such friendship.
Isadora, Avaleen, Verna, Myra, Nan…they were all human females who’d found a place here.
The village was welcoming and warm, humans and orcs living together.
They treated one another with respect and kindness—treated me that way too.
Even if I belonged to Kragorn, could I find a place here?
Lord knows that belonging to him was more intriguing than belonging to my father, and here—although my duties were the same—I wasn’t scared.
For the first time in my life, I wasn’t afraid.
And that realization intrigued me.
Humming, Nan moved away from the bed.
“Well, just keep forcing that sea holly tea down his gullet, lassie. ‘Twill help him grow stronger.”
“More?” Kragorn groaned as his eye closed. “Ye ken how humiliating ‘tis to have to piss into a pot, Nan?”
“Aye, I’m auld, laddie, of course I ken. But ye’ll keep doing it until ye have the strength to make it outside on yer own.”
To my surprise, the old woman sent a wink my way. “And on that day, we’ll all rejoice, eh Lillian?”
I ducked my head to avoid her gaze as I soaked up more water with the cloth, but my words were heartfelt.
“Aye, milady.”
“I’m no’ yer lady. There’s nae ladies here in Bloodfire Village. Ye’re supposed to call me Nan, remember?” She shuffled toward me. “Now, tell me how ye ken so much about healing to keep my grandson alive all those months?”
“I did naught, truly,” I murmured, but Kragorn’s loud grunt from the bed caused me to freeze in concern. When I glanced at his grandmother, she was grinning knowingly.
“Come now, lassie.” Gently, she pried my fingers from the bowl of warm water and replaced it with a mug of tea. “Ye can tell me.”
Could I? When I glanced down at the tea, I could see the ripples on the surface caused by my trembling, and I forced myself to take a deep breath.
You are not afraid, remember? Aye, not anymore.
“It took him months to recover from his initial injuries. I was too much of a coward to do more than bring him his daily meal,” I confessed to the tea’s surface.
“After his escape attempt, he was chained to the wall, and I knew he would bleed to death. My father wanted him alive, so I did what was necessary to keep him that way…”
“And is that the only reason ye did so, lassie?” Nan asked gently.
I glanced at her then flicked my gaze toward Kragorn, only to find him watching me again. Ducking my chin once more, I confessed in a whisper.
“Nay.”
The noise Nan made sounded almost approving. The way she touched my shoulder definitely felt that way, and I struggled to keep from leaning into that touch.
When was the last time someone had touched me that way?
Kragorn did, that night in the forest.
I swallowed.
“Now, lassie, tell me what kenning ye have of healing—”
“Very little,” I interrupted, finally lifting my gaze to her.
I didn’t want Nan to think I was somehow her equal.
“I am the youngest of my father’s daughters, and I learned what I could from my mother.
But…” I freed one hand to reach down and lift my heavy skirt to reveal my twisted foot.
“Over the years, I picked up some knowledge here and there.”
Nan hummed thoughtfully as she tapped her chin and studied my foot. “’Tis permanent?”
“Aye, many years now. But it does not pain me much. Just…”
Limits me.
“I can make ye a tea—” she began, but ‘twas interrupted by a growl from the bed.
“Enough, Nan!” Kragorn’s eyes were closed. “Stop trying to fix Lillian. She’s perfect the way she is.”
I couldn’t help my gasp, or the way my gaze snapped to him as I fumbled to place the mug on the table. I heard Nan’s dry chuckle, then heard her move toward the door, but I couldn’t drag my eyes away from the male lying half-naked beneath the blanket.
He thought me…perfect?
Mayhap I was just perfect for his uses right now?
“Go away, Nan,” Kragorn murmured, eyes still closed. “Lillian, come here.”
Dimly, I heard the door open and close, felt the rush of cold wind before the cozy warmth from the hearth banished it once more, but I didn’t turn around. Nay, I was too busy obeying his commands, limping closer to the bed.
“What is it? Do ye need the chamber pot again?” I murmured.
One corner of his lips curled ruefully, but he didn’t speak. Instead, he reached up. One of his large hands closed around my wrist and he tugged me toward him.
I could claim I lost my balance and fell atop him, but in truth, I didn’t fight it at all. If Kragorn wanted me plastered against his chest, then that’s where I would be.
I was his, after all.
“I need ye, Lillian.”
“Aught,” I whispered, my gaze searching his face.
His grin turned wicked, and I felt my pulse speed, my cheeks darken. And between my legs…
“Alas,” he sighed, shifting me so I rolled off his chest and ended up tucked against his side. “I am no’ quite strong enough yet to fulfil that need.” He wrapped his unbroken arm around me, pulling me up against him. “But I need ye here.”
I held myself stiffly, awkwardly. Where was I supposed to put my hands? It felt wrong to be lying in bed with my boots still on, my hair still pinned up. But he seemed to be waiting for something, so I slowly exhaled.
“What…do you need me to do?”
“Sleep, Lillian.” Kragorn’s eyelids had closed again, and I was free to allow my gaze to caress his face. “Ye’ve been sleeping by the hearth, aye?”
“Aye,” I whispered. “’Tis warm there.”
“’Tis stone. Ye’ll sleep beside me from now on, and I’ll keep ye warm.”
Half-naked? I could see now he only appeared that way because of the blanket—Kragorn was all-naked, save for the bandages, and the knowledge made me warm.
I pressed my thighs together, remembered what he’d said about orc senses, and uncertain if I wanted him to realize what the knowledge of his body did to mine.
From the flaring of his nostrils and the twitch of his lips, he already knew.
When his hand settled on my hip, nudging me closer, I gave into the inevitable. I belonged to him, did I not? And he hadn’t treated me poorly—in fact, he’d only made this demand because he was concerned about my comfort, wasn’t he?
So, as I felt his body relax into sleep, I carefully turned, not wanting to disturb him, until I was facing him. My cheek rested on his shoulder, and once I was certain he was asleep, I allowed my palm to press against his bare chest.
Right above his heart.
I closed my eyes, feeling that strong heartbeat throughout my entire body. And despite the awkwardness, despite the uncertainty…I allowed myself to relax.
You are not afraid.
The knowledge was a freedom of sorts. Even though I was trapped here in this strange world, I could understand how wonderful ‘twas, in so many regards. Women were honored here, even broken captives like me. I could be safe here.
With Kragon.
His.
Mayhap I too was smiling as I fell asleep.