“Oh, by the rosy fingers of dawn!” she cried. “That path is so deceptive. You get down it and you think you’ll climb right back up, but—”
“Yes,” said Celedin. “Exactly. It was his idea.”
“So, they were all down there,” said Dathor.
“And he and I were at the top looking down at them,” said Celedin.
“And I called down to them that the Peak is mine and to seek the rest of the army, not to even try to take it back from me,” said Dathor. “But they’re not going to listen, I don’t think. How long do you think it will take them to find some other way round?”
“Could be any moment now,” said Celedin. “But I gathered up every man I could find in the village to protect the keep, and they are all, even now, waiting for any sign of an orc.”
“This is a fortress,” said Dathor to her. “It was designed to be impenetrable, as long as it is being properly defended. A small number of well-armed men can hold Foxglove Peak against a much larger army.”
She supposed that was true. “But… you did all this while I slept?”
“You must have been tired,” said Dathor. “Perhaps I wore you out.”
“Oh, shadows protect us all,” said Celedin. “Would you stop that?”
“Is our truce already over?” said Dathor, glancing at him.
Celedin looked at her. “I suppose it doesn’t matter if I’ve always loved you if you’ve never loved me back.”
“You didn’t love me, you wanted to possess me,” she countered.
“How is that different than him?” said Celedin, gesturing at Dathor.
“I’ve got broader shoulders, that’s why,” said Dathor, reaching out to pull her onto his lap again.
“I am not so shallow,” she said, settling against him, hand to his chest.
“Oh, you are,” said Dathor. “You are abundantly shallow and a jealous little creature besides, and I would not have you any other way.” He affectionately rubbed his knuckles over her cheekbone.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Well, you are vicious, and you hold a grudge far too long, and you are fiend.” She sighed. “And I would not change you either.”
Celedin groaned, but even his groan was a whispery thing.
She looked up at Celedin and then back at Dathor. “Well?” she said. “What happens now?”
“Well,” said Dathor. “We have to hold the Peak against the orcs for a while, so there will be an alliance of some sort between Celedin and me. At some point, however, that will have to break, and then it’s going to be very annoyingly difficult if you are not going to allow me to kill him.”
Celedin huffed. “I will never surrender this place to you, orc.”
“I know that,” said Dathor. “I plan to take it from you.”
38
BUT THE ALLIANCEbetween them held for some time.
Weeks stretched out with the archers on the turrets, with Dathor and Celedin both living in the keep, neither sleeping in the steward’s chambers, but Celedin in his old quarters and Dathor sharing her bed. Weeks in which Dathor faithfully spent his seed in her every night, and weeks in which she thought for certain she was not going to bleed…
But then she did.
The orcs came to attack, but they were pushed back, and each time they were, they took longer to regroup and try again, and then eventually, they did not come back at all, and Dathor went out after them and confirmed they were all marching together south, likely going to join up with some other portion of the orc army.
These were weeks that seemed to feel like things had settled into something comfortable, almost familiar.
They had few servants left, and there were archers to see to, and Aerhril had learned to make grain mush, and so she was in the kitchen with what remained of the staff. All of the women who’d been held by the orcs had left, scattering themselves immediately, going to their homes.
