Oh. There were no possible words, no possible ways to speak — so instead, Rosa thrust herself closer against him. Clutching at his solid body with all her strength, burying her face in the rapid pulse of his neck, feeling her eyes leaking against his skin.
“You devious scoundrel,” she whispered. “Gods, John-Ka, Iloveyou.”
She could feel him wrench still against her — and suddenly there were familiar clawed hands, tilting her wet face up. His own wet, long-lashed eyes blinking hard, searching hers, waiting. Wanting her to say it again, wanting to see her say it — so she did.
“I love you, John-Ka,” she breathed. “My lord. Make me your bonded mate? And your loyal, obedient pet?”
And in those eyes, there was life, joy,wonder. Warmth unlike any Rosa had ever seen there before, and when they finally smiled at her, so slow, so affectionate, she thought she might shatter with the strength of it.
“Ach, my lovely rose,” he whispered, as he bent to seal it with a kiss, sweet, soft, hers,forever. “I shall.”
40
The rest of the trip to the mountain passed in a whirl of warmth and light and colour. Of John actually smiling, actually laughing, perhaps with more ease than Rosa had ever seen, and tormenting her mercilessly with every steady grind of his hip between her legs.
“Ach, my poor pet is so hungry today,” he purred, once he’d paused to feed her a generous quantity of dried meat from his pocket, and she’d then begun eagerly sucking on his fingers. “You have deeply missed your lord’s care and feeding, have you not?”
Rosa didn’t even pretend to deny it, squirming back against the capable strength of his body, her greedy hand slipping down to cup at his tented groin — but even as he hissed a heated growl, he caught her back up into his arms, and again kicked into a run.
“Soon, pet,” he said, as he darted and leapt, back in this lovely familiar frolic, this dance. “As soon as we have you safe.”
Because of the men, Rosa realized, who were still likely lurking, waiting to attack at any moment. Though maybe not for long, if Lord Kaspar truly followed through on trying to persuade his father, and the Council, to abandon their foolish attempts at war.
And he would, Rosa thought firmly. His reputation and standing had always been Lord Kaspar’s highest priority, well above his family or any political squabbles, and Lady Scall had in fact already had all Rosa’s treatises printed, ready to distribute at a moment’s notice. Tristan had also reassured Rosa, in their letters leading up to today, that from henceforth the Skai’s scouts and spies would have Lord Kaspar closely monitored, and would surely know of any attempts at double-dealing.
The sun had almost set when Orc Mountain finally loomed before them, huge and craggy, streaming its smoke to the sky. And looking up at it, rather than the fear Rosa had felt last time, there was only relief. Anticipation. Excitement, sheer and bright and breathtaking.
“Welcome home, pet,” John said, his voice thick in his throat, as he eased them in the same way he had last time, crunching the stone door shut behind them. A sound that should have been unsettling, perhaps, especially combined with the sudden pitch-darkness — but again Rosa only felt more warmth, more excitement, morepeace.
“Thank you, my lord,” she whispered, into his neck. “Mér líkar þetta.”
His hand gripped gentle and approving to her arse, his breath exhaling into her hair, as if he were about to speak — but then there was a clatter up ahead, and the distinctive dance of firelight.
“John-Ka!” shouted a vaguely familiar voice, and when Rosa blinked toward it, it was Aaron. And Brandr, and Marcus, and Gary, and Hanarr, and a half-dozen other Ka-esh, all grinning and speaking at once. And among them were also Jule and Grimarr, and Baldr and Drafli and Nattfarr — and within a breath John and Rosa were surrounded by a crush of loudly chattering orcs, demanding how the operation had gone, and welcoming Rosa back to the mountain, and offering their enthusiastic congratulations.
John, to Rosa’s vague surprise, betrayed no outward signs of annoyance at the sudden melee, and actually began to regale the mass of orcs with a brief summary of the day’s events. Speaking with clarity and unmistakable pride of Rosa’s clever treatises, and her brave upstaging of Lord Kaspar, and the depths to which this fool man had been reduced under her deft handling.
And then, to Rosa’s continued rising surprise, John carefully set her down, turned to Grimarr and Jule, and bowed, his hand in a fist over his heart. “I thank you, Captain, Lady Captain,” he said, “for your clever planning and support of my aims. And I must also” — he turned to Drafli’s tall, silent form, and bowed again — “thank the Skai, for the many scouts and spies they have freely granted me these past days, and for the ongoing loan of your Enforcer. You have kept me, my mate, and my kin-brothers safe. I am grateful.Ég er þakklátur.”
With that, he nodded over his shoulder, to where three more tall, rangy-looking Skai were silently striding up behind them. From outside, from where they — and apparently also Simon — had beenfollowingJohn and Rosa? Spying? Keeping themsafe? Not only today, but all this pastweek?
But yes, that had to be what John had meant, because before them Drafli had inclined his head, his own hand fisting over his chest in the exact same gesture. While his other hand gave a few quick, pointed flicks, his dark gaze slanting toward Baldr beside him.
“Drafli says, ‘The Skai see this praise,”” Baldr said, with satisfaction. “‘We are honoured to keep safe our wise Ka-esh kin.’”
John bowed toward Drafli again, to which Drafli returned a nod. And soon the murmurs all around rose back into full-on chatter and shouts, during which multiple orcs peppered John with more questions, and Jule strode over to pull Rosa into a tight, warm embrace.
“We’re sohappyyou’ve returned,” Jule said firmly as she drew back again, flashing Rosa her broad, contagious smile. “Amazing work dealing with Kaspar. I hope it wasn’t all too horrible?”
Rosa shrugged and smiled back, her eyes angling up toward John, who was still deep in conversation with Baldr. “Some parts were,” she said truthfully, “but Lady Scall was so helpful, and so surprisingly kind. I’m so grateful to you for soliciting her assistance, as you did.”
Jule waved it away, her eyes sparkling. “It was the least we could do,” she said. “And to be quite honest, none of us wanted to live withhim” — her head jerked toward John — “after you left. I truly had no idea Ka-esh could be so damnedmalevolent. It was like he waspossessed.”
John had clearly heard that, his gaze snapping toward Jule, his lip balefully curling — and Jule laughed aloud as she shooed Rosa back toward him. “Good gods, it’sstill there,” she said. “Go fuck it out of him, Rosa, please, for all our sakes.”
Rosa’s face flooded with heat, but the idea was suddenly, desperately appealing — a sentiment that John seemed to share, his hand abruptly clenching to her arse, and guiding her through the crowd.
“Now, where do you wish to go, pet?” he asked, once he’d snatched a lamp from someone, and they’d moved beyond the worst of the noise. “To bed? Or mayhap your library?”
