He even looked right, too, the bright sparkling warmth back in his eyes, as Grimarr finally released him. As Natt gave a quick bow toward Grimarr, back to his usual lovely smoothness, and then spun himself around, and immediately launched himself toward his brothers. Toward Dammarr, first of all, clasping him close into his chest, while the rest of them piled on, and Ella swallowed hard as she watched, and fought to keep the smile on her face.
Her part here was done. Natt had gained his dreams, all that he’d longed for. He would help other women, he would help their sons, he would be a marvellous Speaker. But he’d still betrayed her, and she still couldn’t trust him, and they were still on the verge of war. She still had to go.
The urge to run was almost unbearable, suddenly, shouting in Ella’s entire being, but she clasped her hands tightly together, and made herself wait. She would do this. She was.
Natt had finally disentangled himself from his brothers — Thrak had somehow gotten him into a headlock, and only let go after Dammarr did the same to him — and his familiar face had lifted toward Ella, his eyes blinking hard. And then, oh gods, he took the two steps toward her, his body smooth, purposeful,right. And then — Ella’s eyes fluttered closed — he buried his face deep into her neck, and inhaled.
It was like time stuttered, or skipped backwards. Caught in the warmth of Natt’s breath, the brush of his lips, the slight, reverent slip of his long tongue down the neck of her dress, trailing against where he’d bitten her the night before.
And as Natt’s chest slowly filled with the scent of her, there was the jolting, overpowering need to grasp at him, draw him away with her, escape back to their forest. Where they would play and run and laugh, and Ella would chase him and tackle him to the earth under the sun, and she would —
The sudden feel of him yanking back, away, was almost painful, and so was that shuttered look in his blinking eyes. He was shaking his head, biting his lip, looking like he was bracing himself, holding himself still. And Dammarr had quickly stepped toward him, grasping a clawed hand around his arm, yanking him away, away, away.
And Natt didn’t fight it. He went. Stumbling away from Ella, forever, and somehow she could read his truth, flashing straight from his eyes to hers. I wish to run away with you, my lass. I wish to hide with you and mate and laugh with you until all else is gone.
But he couldn’t. He’d betrayed her, he’d lied to her, she could never trust him again. Her part here was done. She had to go.
So Ella bowed her head, and took a breath, and went.
35
It was only a moment before Ella found herself outside Orc Mountain again. Walking in the bright sun and clear air, with Grimarr and Jule and Baldr and Drafli flanked close around her.
But within that moment, Ella had found herself badly trembling, the unease and the fear and the regret clawing and shouting all at once. She had to face Alfred. She had to face the misery and loss to come, the end of all she’d known. She had to face her mother, her servants, the loss of her home.
“Thank you for doing this, Ella,” said Jule’s voice, quiet, beside her. “You truly honour us all. It’s been such a pleasure getting to know you.”
Ella nodded, but she couldn’t speak back, or even raise her eyes. Just walked, every shaky step slower and slower, until — her breath hitched, choked — they’d turned around a wall of rock, and come out onto a grassy plain.
And there, on the plain before them, was —Alfred. Tall, regal, handsome Lord Tovey, standing here, andsmiling.
He was surrounded by a small band of perhaps fifteen horses and men, including — Ella’s unease clutched tighter — the awful Byrne. The men were all fully armed, and dressed in travelling-clothes, and they even had the three familiar hunting-dogs, leashed to one of the horses.
But it wasn’t an army, their weapons weren’t drawn, and Alfred,Alfred, wassmiling.
It felt wrong, suddenly, a shocking jarring clash of fear, of danger — but Alfred was walking blithely toward Ella, appearing entirely unconcerned by the three huge orcs surrounding her.
“Ella, darling!” he said brightly. “I can’t tell you what a relief it is to finally see you safe and sound. Are you well? Have you been harmed by these vicious kidnapping beasts?”
Ella twitched — it took some nerve, to walk up to Orc Mountain, with only fifteen men at one’s back, and call the orcs vicious kidnapping beasts — but here, too late, was the dull reminder that thanks to the new peace-treaty, the orcs couldn’t dare attack Alfred, or even speak a word of threat to him. He was an earl’s son, he was extremely influential, he was immune, proud, safe — and he damn well knew it.
He is a lord, Natt had said that day in the cave, a lifetime ago. He shall do all that he wishes.
“I’m very well, thank you,” Ella said, as steadily as she could. “I haven’t been harmed in any way, and I haven’t been kidnapped, either. I had a severely injured employee upon my hands, and decided to see him home to safety, and stay until he was well.”
Alfred’s eyes had been sweeping up and down Ella’s form, lingering with meaning upon her mismatched earrings, and her empty hand, conspicuously lacking its engagement-ring. And then — Ella fought not to cover herself — those eyes held to her slightly peaked nipple, still visible even through the thick layers of her clothing.
“You’ll forgive me if I choose not to believe you, darling,” came Alfred’s voice, smooth, through his still-smiling mouth. “These foul orcs have devious means of manipulation beyond what we can even imagine. They wield dark, dangerous magic to gain innocent women to their side. I’m afraid that coming here was averyfoolish decision on your part, darling, and sure to breed only scandal and shame.”
Ella’s teeth were gritting together, and she lifted her chin, and held his glinting blue eyes. “And I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I choose to disagree with you,” she said coldly. “I faced no danger whatsoever during my stay here. I was welcomed with only kindness, and generously hosted and supervised by a woman who was” — she nodded toward Jule — “once a lady, and who also invited you and your parents and allies to join us. There is no scandal, and no shame.”
Alfred’s eyes had gone oddly still, but the smile was still there, still spread wide across his handsome face. “Well, I am indeed eager to hear all about it, darling,” he said, without inflection. “Now, if you please, we must leave at once. Your household is surely frantic at your prolonged disappearance, and I’d like to return you to safety by nightfall.”
The unease flared up again, and with it the rising urge to run, run, run — but Ella swallowed hard, and forced her legs to stay still. She had to do this. She would. She was.
“Very well,” she heard her wooden voice say, her eyes casting an unseeing glance toward Jule and the three orcs beside her. “I thank you for your generosity, and your hospitality.”
They made some kind of collective response, Jule’s full of heartfelt encouragement and exhortations to return, but Ella couldn’t hear it through the rushing in her ears, the hammering beat of her heart. And once they’d finished speaking, Ella stepped away, and put her trembly hand to Alfred’s arm. She would go.
