The praise was warmth all its own, thrusting back at the still-lingering shame — at least, until Thrak spoke again, now nudging his elbow into Natt’s side. “Has she learnt yet, then,” he said, with a diabolical smile, “of the other secret places her little pink tongue might seek?”
Oh gods in heaven, he couldnotpossibly mean what Ella thought he meant — but Natt actually laughed between his groans, husky and low. “Not yet,” he breathed, “but soon she shall, I ken.”
This was not happening, it wasn’t, because something in Ella’s throat had groaned, all on its own, with a base, shocking, mortifying hunger, while her tongue thrust slick, powerful, starving, into his depths — and it was then, oh fuck, that he opened wide, sucked her deep. “Ach, lass,” he choked, “my seed, I —“
But he was already shouting, and spraying out against her like a geyser. His hot liquid surging into her with so much force that the whole room seemed to shake with it, exploding alive with the sheer power of her mate’s pleasure, drawn pure and holy from his wounded ravenous soul —
It was utter ecstasy, beyond warmth and light, so much that Ella somehow even managed to swallow most of the flooding sweetness, gulping it desperately and fervently down her throat. And the responding touch of Natt’s hands was so warm, so tender, so approving, all the reward that a mate might wish. Tilting her face up so he could look at her, smile at her, open his mouth to whisper, good lass, this pleased me, I love you —
But instead, from across the room, Ella heard a hard little laugh, cutting through the surreal, melting pleasure like a claw on stone. Dammarr. His eyes snapping with rage, his teeth bared, his hand clenched to his sword-hilt.
“At least we’ll finally getsomereward out of this wholefarce, then,” he hissed, cold, vicious. “Watching her kiss your ass will surely be a treat for us all,Speaker.”
There was an instant’s awful stillness, shuddering down to Ella’s bones — and then a deep growl from Natt’s throat, and a furious jerk of his hand toward the door. And thank the gods Dammarr spun around and left, his sword loudly clanking, while Thrak leapt to his feet, and strode out close behind him.
But the shame had finally gotten the best of Ella, leaving her shaken and cold and hurt, trembling on her knees. Finally drawing away from Natt entirely, her body empty, exposed, prickling, untouched. What in the gods’ names was she doing, what had come over her, she was supposed to become alady—
And before Ella could stop it, or see it, or even know it, she leapt to her staggering feet, clutched for the lantern, and ran.
24
Ella ran fast and deep into the mountain, pelting her way down the twisty black corridors, while her lantern’s light bounced and flashed against the endless stone walls.
The orcs she encountered in the corridor only looked at her, some nodding in greeting, some even stepping to the side to let her pass. And when she very nearly charged straight into two shirtless orcs against a wall, a pair of capable hands immediately shot out to catch her, steadying her on her trembly feet.
“Woman?” asked a vaguely familiar voice, and when Ella glanced up, gasping for breath, she realized it was the kind Grisk orc, Baldr. And the orc with him was the other one, Drafli, tall and deadly-looking, with the frank, unnerving eyes.
“Are you well?” Baldr asked, with genuine concern in his voice. “Is there aught we can help you with?”
Ella blinked at him, unsettled, because surely this strange orc wouldn’t actually help her with anything? But the earnestness in his eyes said that perhaps he would, and that perhaps he’d even drag this terrifying Drafli into it, too — but then Baldr’s gaze flicked up behind her, settling on something Ella couldn’t see. “Ah, here comes Nattfarr,” he said, quiet. “Do you wish to see him now?”
Again, his words and his eyes spoke of true concern, hinting that he might whisk Ella away somewhere else, should she not wish to see Natt at this moment. And in the mess currently swirling Ella’s thoughts, there was also a deep, powerful gratefulness, and she managed a wan smile at his scarred, worried face.
“Oh, that’s quite all right, Baldr,” she said, still rather breathless, giving an instinctive little curtsey. “But I’m very grateful for your kindness.”
He nodded back, his eyes again flicking up behind her — and here, indeed, was Natt. Striding toward them with sure, prowling steps, his eyes glinting in the flickering lamplight.
“Hands off, brother,” he said, with a lightness that wasn’t light at all. “Lest you want both your Speaker and your Skai at your throat.”
“He’s not my —“ Baldr began, glancing up behind him, to where the Drafli orc was indeed looking even more murderous than usual — and he hurriedly let go of Ella’s shoulders over her cape. After which Natt, oddly enough, briefly brought his own hands to the exact same place on Ella’s cape, andrubbedit, almost as if to scrub off the remnants of Baldr’s touch.
“Now come, lass,” Natt said, drawing Ella away, and then slipping a warm arm around her waist. “Should you like to run further? Or mayhap only walk? Or” — his unreadable eyes angled down toward her — “mayhap I could take you to a sparring-room, where you may punch at me for a spell? I ken this shall please you.”
And curse her, because Ella gave a choked laugh, even as she felt herself turn away from him, her head shaking. She was supposed to be a lady, ladies couldn’t punch orcs in sparring-rooms, they didn’t run alone through mountains, they weren’t absurdly grateful to abominable orcs for doing basic things like asking her if she was all right, or — or explicitly giving permission to run, or fight, or justbe, as she wished.
But Natt was still here, he was still touching her, his big warm hands still spreading wide over her bare skin. Still wanting her, even after the shameful things she’d just done, after one of his oldest friends had openly mocked her, after she’d run away —
“Why did Dammarr say that,” Ella said, her voice cracking. “Why did he want to humiliate me. Why did he call this afarce.”
Natt’s eyes fluttered closed, an unmistakable grimace tightening on his mouth. “I am sorry he spoke thus toward you,” he replied, quiet. “He only — envies you, lass.”
“Why,” Ella said, frowning at Natt’s closed eyes, and when they opened again they were tired, resigned. Perhaps even guilty.
“Dammarr and I have oft taken pleasure together,” he said, with a sigh. “Before this.”
The misery surged all at once, boiling deep in Ella’s belly, and she twisted away from Natt, and pressed her hands against her hot, sweaty face. She’d known, of course she’d known, so why the hell did it still feel like this, she was an heiress, she was to become alady—
“It was only pleasure,” Natt’s voice cut in, quickly now. “Naught more, on my part, and Dammarr knew this. I ought to have stopped this, when I knew it was more for him — but I am Speaker, lass, I cannot play with this as other orcs do, I can only do such things with those I trust. And Thrak and Thrain are too close to my blood, and Varinn cares only for women, so —“
