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“She hit the target,” I said sharply. “We’re counting that as one.”
My father stood another frilladon cutout. “She’s hit one.”
Mother scowled. I grinned.
Kassia missed with her next two throws, but her third impaled the creature in the head with the blade.
“Your mate will be an asset on a hunt,” my father said, impressed. “Only one left,” he called to Kassia.
When the third smacked into the side of the weapons’ case, my mother jeered. I definitely needed to speak to her about her attitude. If she didn’t start acting in a more welcoming manner, we’d leave.
“You’ve picked an odd female to mate with,” she told me. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather we paraded a few orc females through the house for you to choose from?”
“I’m mating with Kassia,” I said. “You need to accept this, Mother. I’m allowing the tests because I know how important tradition is to you, but you’re not going to change my mind.”
She huffed. “Alright. I’m willing to see how she does with the tests and make my judgment after that.”
“We’re mating,” I said again.
Grumbling, she threw another axe toward Kassia, who snatched it off the deck where it landed and, with a feral look, flung it our way.
It smacked into my mother’s chest, blade first.
Chapter 12
Kassia
Shit, I’d killed my monster—err, almost mother-in-law. No, she was a monster. An orc, anyway.
It didn’t matter what I called her. They were going to prosecute me for murder and throw me in jail.
There was no way they’d let me marry Jarum.
While I gaped at Drunella lying unmoving on the lawn, the axe sticking up from her chest, Jarum’s father barreled across the lawn and leaped over the rail onto the deck.
I backed away from him, my hands lifting. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it. I was trying to hit the target. Really!”
He swept me up and kissed both of my cheeks while Jarum joined us.
A peek beyond them showed his mother sitting up. She wrenched the axe from her chest and rose to her feet.
Why wasn’t blood coating her chest?
She tossed the axe onto the lawn and strode over to join us. “You’ve passed your first test,” she said without expression. “You’ve partly satisfied orc tradition. Pray you complete your second task as easily.” Her gaze told me she was prepared to reject me if I didn’t complete both.
Roktas ripped his shirt in two with his claws, revealing a steel breastplate. “We were prepared.”
“You expected me to hit you with the axe?” I stuttered.
He shrugged. “You’re not an orc. We didn’t know your capabilities with weapons, but you’ve done well, nearly daughter.” He nudged my arm, toppling me sideways.
Jarum scooped me up and held me, leaning down to kiss me.
“I’m not tearing my clothing to show my chest,” Drunella said. “But I also wear armor beneath.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I really was aiming for the target, not you.”
“It was close enough,” Roktas said with a low chuckle. “And you did hit a target with your third throw, even if it wasn’t a conventional one.”
