“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.
Whynowdid I have to remember the feel of his hands on my body? The way he’d claimed me, the way he’d called mehis? 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—treatedmethat 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.
Andthatrealization 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, ofcourseI 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 meNan, 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.
