Simon’s arms and fists shot out, almost too rapid to see — and suddenly the laughing orc was screeching, all mirth vanished from his face. Because Simon had the orc’sarm, oh gods, it was the same hold he’d had on Baldr when they’d been sparring — but this time he kept going, kept pushing, the orc’s face contorting with pain, his scream raising the hairs all up Maria’s back —
The crack of breaking bone echoed through the corridor, sharp and vicious and horrifying. While the orc’s awful howls rose to a horrible new shrillness — and Simon’s form shifted, fluid, easy. Lunging for the screaming orc’s leg this time, and while Maria distantly knew she should cover her eyes, sheshould, she could only seem to stare, shocked and terrified, as Simon swiftly wrapped the orc’s trousered leg in his own powerful grip, and then —kickedit.Brokeit.
The screams were truly deafening, shrieking and roaring, but no one came to the orc’s aid, not even Ulfarr. And Simon had risen to his feet, huge and deadly and merciless, andspatstraight down onto the orc’s writhing, screaming form.
“Should I catch you inone more falsehood,” Simon growled, his deep voice carrying over the orc’s screams, his booted foot sinking a hard kick into the orc’s undefended side, “I shall breakevery boneyou own, andpaintthese walls in your blood!”
The orc didn’t answer — couldn’t, through his piercing wails — and Simon whirled away, his face heavy with disgust and loathing, and stalked up the corridor. Toward — towardthem. TowardMaria.
But behind him, Ulfarr was stepping forward, his hands in fists, his eyes narrow and cold. “You forget yourself, Skai,” he said, his voice booming against the walls, reeking of mockery, of malice. “You forget your clan’s own ways.”
Simon answered with a menacing snarl, a snap of his teeth over his shoulder. “I forget naught,” he hissed back, his voice just as dangerous. “I am yet your rightful Enforcer. I ken what I do.”
Ulfarr’s bark of a laugh was vicious, chilly, lethal. “Then you know also,” he called, “how you must pay,Enforcer. On the rise of the next moon, I challenge you for the place of Enforcer, before all our clan. And when you fail” — he smiled, wicked and deadly — “all you have shall bemine.”
21
Maria felt struck to the stone floor, while Ulfarr’s threat echoed against the walls, her ears, her heart. He waschallengingSimon? By the rise of the next moon?
And surely that was a matter of weeks?Days?
And Ulfarr was still smiling, with that vicious, vile certainty in his eyes. Eyes that had flicked, steady and sure, towardMaria.
“Twelve nights, Enforcer,” he said, with a wink, almost as though he’d read her thoughts. “Enjoy your woman while you can, and put your affairs in order, ach?”
The urge to run was suddenly all-consuming, swallowing everything — and thankfully Simon was here, his huge arm swiping for Maria’s as he passed. Yanking her wholly away from Ulfarr, from Baldr, dragging her up the corridor after him. And oh gods, what was happening, what had she justseen, twelvedays?
But Simon only kept striding, jerking Maria around one corner, and then another, and then a final-feeling sideways halt. And when light sparked before Maria’s eyes, they were back in his familiar room, his candle burning on the shelf beside his carvings, casting their ghoulish shadows on the wall behind.
And as Maria blinked blankly at Simon’s massive, taut form, his huge clawed hand snapped toward one of the figures — the smiling, barrel-chested orc at the front — and spun it around, away, so it was facing the wall behind it. And next Simon’s hand jerked up for his hair, for hisdagger, flipping it out with astonishing ease — and before Maria could move, speak,breathe, he’d dragged the dagger-blade straight down his spread-open palm, surging bubbling redbloodin its wake.
Maria’s throat choked back a scream, her hands clapping over her mouth, but Simon entirely ignored her. And instead, he strode for the wall behind her, and thrust his bleeding hand flat against it.
It was nonsensical, irrational,absurd— but Simon’s body kept holding still, purposeful, waiting. His head bowing, his eyes clenched shut, his shoulders rising and settling with his heavy breaths.
And when he finally yanked his hand away, there was — anothermarkon the wall. One more messy dark line, dripping thick and red, beside all the rest. But this one bright and fresh and new, and Maria’s eyes felt trapped on the rest of them, dozens of them, had Simon done all this,why—
And suddenly she was looking at him, really looking, frozen in the sight of the streaks and splatters all over his bare chest, his trousers, his hands. All dark reddish-black, not fresh, not like that new mark on his wall —
“W-what happened,” she heard her shaky voice stammer. “D-did you — you didn’t —”
And gods, she couldn’t even say it, and Simon was glaring straight back at her, his black gaze cold, flinty, utterly unrepentant. As though daring Maria to continue that sentence, as though he were making a silent, but very real threat. As if he were saying,Don’t you dare call me out on this, human.
Something kicked inside Maria’s belly, harsh and disbelieving — after all she’d already borne to honour him, he was really going to do this? He was going to stand here and glare at her and refuse to tell her why he was covered withblood? Why he’d just broken an orc’s bones in a public fuckingcorridor?!
“Whathappened,” Maria repeated, steadier this time. “Why did Ulfarr challenge you. Why did you justdothat!”
But Simon’s lip had curled, his head shaking, his eyes dangerously flashing. “You no judge me, woman,” he hissed at her. “I am yet Enforcer.”
“Yes, I’m aware,” Maria snapped back. “And I’m not judging you, asshole. I just want to know what the hell is going on!”
But it was like Simon’s anger was a sparking flame, catching and rising upon hers, and he came a sharp, deadly step closer. “I am Enforcer,” he said again, dragging out the words, as though Maria were far too foolish to comprehend. “I Enforce my kin.”
Maria’s frustration kept circling, rising, the anger jolting harder, stronger. “By maiming them?” she demanded. “Bykillingthem?!”
And good gods, that look on his face, because yes, that was exactly what he’d done. He’dkilledsomeone today, and there wasn’t even a trace of regret in his eyes, only the ever-rising rage. “Ach,” he snarled back. “You no judge me, woman. This is no your place. Your place is to honour me, andobey!”
He’d come another step closer as he spoke, looming over her, his eyes crackling, his hands in fists. Cold, bitter, mocking.Paid. Naught binding you to us. Only woman I buy…
