AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Perhaps I had a bit of the sweet roll she desired inside me after all.
The stairs exited out between this building and the next, and I took her hand, leading her onto the street. I told myself I held onto her to ensure we weren’t separated, but foot traffic was light.
Prizing honesty above all else, I’d never been one to lie to myself.
I liked holding her hand.
“It’s the mate bond,” I said.
“What is?” Her gaze shot to my pendant. “It’s not glowing.”
“Because I gave you pleasure.”
“I’ve never believed in magic.”
I shrugged. “Me either, but clan pendants always know.”
“Where do they come from?”
“Each family in the clan has them. They’re passed down from the parents to the eldest, be that a son or a daughter. The elders always say they provide guidance.”
“Not the best guidance if your pendant lit up for me.”
I pulled her to a stop before we joined the main thoroughfare. “Why would you say that?”
“You don’t like me.”
I lowered my voice. “I very much enjoyed your response to my tongue.”
Her face pinkened, and I stood there stunned for a moment, watching the varying hues on her face. Why was I so fascinated by this human creature?
“That was a physical thing,” she said with a sigh. “That has nothing to do with liking.”
I gave myself time to think before responding, partly because I didn’t know exactly what to say to her. How much did I dare reveal?
I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do with my lovely mate. When I left with Madr for the Hunt, I anticipated returning to the city and resuming my regular duties, not catering to the needs of a woman. Now I found myself aching to see her smile, toplease her, and not only sexually.
The light went out in her eyes. “You don’t need to say anything. I understand. You were forced into this as much as me.”
“It takes time for affection to grow.” I felt like that didn’t quite express the feelings growing inside me, but I wasn’t sure how to name them. “We only recently met.”
“You don’t need to love your mate, you mean,” she said bitterly. “You don’t even need to like her—me. It’s clear that even disliking me, you’ll find a way to plant your orclings inside me.”
“I ask you to give this time.” And to give me time to determine what was going on inside my heart. “History shows that those fated for each other share the strongest love. Does it suddenly bloom within the heart, or does it grow slowly? I don’t know the answer to that.”
She huffed. “I doubt I’m going to love you no matter how long we’re together.”
What if I wanted her to love me?
Grumbling and feeling much too uncertain about all this, I urged her to walk once more, keeping a tight hold on her hand as we joined the many orcs using this main course to take them to the center of the city.
“Where does the king live?” she asked, peering around.
“The king’s main castle was built on one of the taller hills on the mountain side of the city. The family owns smaller palaces, of course, and he often spends the hot months in the one near the sea.”
“We’ll walk when we visit him tomorrow?”
“I wouldn’t bother Feyla for something like that.”
