But instead, she was — nodding. Bobbing her head, holding those eyes, and saying —yes. Yes, to a question he’d scarcely even asked, but suddenly she knew hehadbeen asking. With every single action today. Every answered question. Every touch, every look from his eyes.
I shall try, he’d said last night, and he’d meant it. No falsehoods.
“Yes, my lord,” Rosa whispered, and it was as strong as a bond, a vow, a word written in ink on a fresh new page. “I will.”
27
The next day passed in a whirl of delightful activity, taking Rosa and John all over Orc Mountain.
Their first stop was to meet with Salvi and Eben in the Ka-esh medical clinic, talking over the terms of their new research project. Next was a meeting with an exacting Grisk orc named Ymir, who was apparently in charge of the mountain’s trading credits. And then was a consultation with Hanarr about needed supplies, while Rosa ate the overflowing basket of food Hanarr had procured for her.
“Next, pet, we shall meet with Efterar,” John said, with relish, once they’d left Hanarr’s storage-room. “He shall not be pleased, I ken.”
Efterar was indeed not pleased to learn that he’d apparently been commandeered for John’s research. “The captain’s offered mysupportto your latest mad scheme?” he snapped, fixing John with an almighty glare. “Because of some oldbookyou found mouldering in yourlibrary?”
John’s expression had begun to straddle something between incredulity and sheer malice, but before he could bark back an equally acerbic reply, Rosa thrust herself between them, and launched into what she hoped was a convincing argument in favour of the plan. Calling up several of the book’s points Efterar had previously seemed to agree with, including the bit about fresh orc-seed making for a stronger son, and adding extra nutrition, as well.
“And perhaps,” Rosa continued firmly, “you could allow Salvi and Eben to work with you on this, just in the short term? That way, you can delegate as you need to them, and they can report to John on your behalf?”
Efterar’s irritable expression had shifted — not to agreement, but instead to something more considering, as his gaze flicked up and down Rosa’s form. “Impressive,” he said, to Rosa’s confusion, as he reached his big hand to tilt her chin up, frowning down into her eyes. “How long have you been here again? A week?”
“Fourteen days,” Rosa answered automatically, with a slight wince. “Why?”
Efterar was still frowning, his eyes dropping to her breasts, and then her belly. “Your gains are considerable,” he said, almost more to himself than to her. “You’ve added more weight than I could have expected in such a short time, your muscle mass is increased, and your eyes and skin have cleared almost entirely. Well, except for the bite and scratches, but” — his eyes fixed to Rosa’s neck, before glancing down to linger on her groin through her tunic — “it looks like your mate’s been careful elsewhere, and nothing’s infected, so good enough. Do you feel more mentally alert, too?”
It was taking Rosa a moment to digest all this — John still wasn’t hermate, surely — but perhaps shehadfelt more mentally alert of late? And when she shot an uncertain glance downwards at her own wrists, there was the surprising realization that perhaps theydidn’tlook quite as thin as they had previously?
“Ach, she is much improved,” John said finally, into the silence, when Rosa still couldn’t seem to speak. “We have followed all your counsel with care, brother. She drinks fresh seed and milk each day, and eats all I bring her. She also sleeps well at nights, oft sees the sun, and stays busy with her work. It was she who found this book, and then wrote it into common-tongue, so we all may gain from this.”
The look on Efterar’s face echoed just how Rosa felt — had John truly paidthatmuch attention to implementing Efterar’s advice? But the stubborn set of John’s jaw suggested that, despite all his apparent animosity toward Efterar and his unscientific magic, he had.
“Oh,” Efterar said finally, still with visible bewilderment. “Well. All right, then, I suppose. Send Salvi and Eben, if you must.”
Now it was John’s turn to look surprised, his eyes briefly widening before he nodded, curt, and looked intently away. “Good,” he said. “This shall help, brother. I — value your work, and your guidance.”
With that, John turned and stalked out, leaving Rosa to give Efterar an apologetic smile, and then chase to catch up. And rather than teasing John about the extremely difficult concession that clearly had been, she bumped him with her shoulder, and shot him a quick, jaunty grin. “How long will it take, do you think,” she said lightly, “before he and Salvi murder each other?”
She could see the relaxation in John’s form, could almost preen at the flare of bare, genuine gratefulness in his eyes. “Three days at most, I ken,” he said, as he drew her close, and pressed a soft, spine-tingling kiss to the top of her head. “Now come, pet. There is much more to address today.”
Rosa complied, of course, her body still warm all over as John took her to the forge, reviewing the day’s priorities with his orcs, and then the laboratory. And then, to another meeting, this one again with Grimarr, Nattfarr, Baldr, Drafli, and Olarr, and a few others. Though this time, the orcs spoke mostly in Aelakesh, and the main point of discussion seemed to be the men currently camped at the mountain. Thewar.
Rosa listened as carefully as she could, picking up bits and pieces here and there, and fighting to ignore the thrilling distraction of John’s claws absently caressing at the nape of her neck. The men had apparently camped on the mountain’s south side, they had enough supplies to last them at least ten more days, they had still shown no sign of actually attacking. Yet.
Something had begun gnawing in Rosa’s chest as she listened, her eyes casting searching glances toward John beside her. He was again actively involved in the discussion, his Aelakesh clipped and self-assured, his opinions clearly respected by all at the table. And by meeting’s end, he again seemed satisfied with its conclusions, a grim smile playing on his mouth.
“Do not fret over these men, pet,” John said, once they were back in the corridor again. “I have told you, my brothers and I shall take care of all this. We shall not be beaten by a mere two hundred men. And you shall never need to again bear this cheap cruel lord, who has so carelessly harmed you. I shall keep you safe.”
Oh. Rosa’s belly lurched at that, her breaths coming shorter, shallower. John would keep her safe. She would never need to bear Lord Kaspar again. And as deeply, powerfully compelling as that thought suddenly was, Rosa still only had seven days left. Seven days before Lord Kaspar expected her back at the library, armed with explosive revelations.
And what if she didn’t return at all? What then? Because thatwaswhat John was saying, wasn’t it?
It was, she realized, with another lurch deep in her belly. Again. He truly wanted her to —stay.
“You are safe here, pet,” he repeated, his eyes angling toward Rosa’s face. “Come. I ken what may calm you.”
Rosa gratefully nodded, and accompanied him into another room — the Ka-esh medical clinic. Where Salvi and Eben were currently working, as well as Aaron and Brandr and Marcus. All of them hesitating at the sight of Rosa and John, particularly as John ushered Rosa across the room, and lifted her up onto the examination table.
“My medics have been seeking my leave to study you for many days now,” he said to Rosa, entirely ignoring the watching orcs around them. “Most orcs mated to women balk at this, so it is rare that we have a woman to survey. I have not wished to frighten you with this, but” — his fingers tilted Rosa’s chin up, locking her eyes to his — “I ken you shall now accept this for me, ach?”
