"Oh, I have no problem with you," the deep resonant voice echoed from the vaguely humanoid shape. "I just wanted to see the troll get knocked on his ass."

"You’re carrying a blade."

"The troll handed it to me. Such a primitive and clumsy tool.”

He threw it in the corner of my cell.

“Thank you for the entertainment, though. Oh, have you noticed?"

“Noticed what?”

“Your connection with the little human is attracting the wrong sort of attention.”

With that, the shadow demon blipped away as though he had teleported. Something that a collared prisoner shouldn’t be able to do. I didn't have time to dwell on it as I heard guards shouting and running up the cell block. I sat down on my mattress and raised my hands above my head. It didn't make much difference as the moment the round bald guard arrived, he hit the button to activate my collar. The pain made me dizzy, and I heard myself roaring as everything went gray and disappeared.

Chapter 9

Cerys

I peered at Cam as his eyes opened and blinked at the sudden intrusion of light. Relief nearly made my legs give way. He'd been given an extended collar shock that would have killed most other monsters. His eyes darted around and then settled on me.

"Cerys."

The sound of my name sent a shiver down my spine.

"You're okay, Cam. You just need to rest."

Despite me saying that, he instantly attempted to sit up. I suspected there was no point trying to convince him not to, so I helped him as best I could. I plumped pillows behind him and got him comfortable. He was shackled to the bed with thick metal cuffs for security. The long gash on his chest had been stitched. If he was bruised, I couldn’t tell through the black fur.

"Is he awake now?"

The gruff voice of the orc that I now hated with a passion was at the other end of the small hospital ward. A guard sat halfway down the room, apparently to stop any more fights breaking out. I was ignored when I said having them both on the same ward was a terrible idea. I’d thought about hitting the orc with a bedpan while he was cuffed to his bed.

"I'm awake," Cam said, eyeing the orc with a weary sigh.

"Great fight. Thanks, pal."

I blinked a few times and felt my nose screwing up as I tried to process this. The orc's green skin was covered in huge purple bruises. I couldn't contain all the feelings inside me anymore. The fear that I might have lost Cam had left me raw and frayed. I tried to push the feelings away, but they just kept crowding back in. Nausea roiled around my stomach.

"Are you insane? Good fight? Look at the state of you both! Why did you do this?"

My voice was getting increasingly high pitched.

When the troll said he was coming for the new minotaur… bat… err, batotaur guy, I knew he'd get flattened. But also, maybe since he was already fighting, then he'd fight me! And we'd have a good ruck. Ah, I really needed that. My muscles get so tense when I haven't had a good go at it for a while. And I needed to prove to Serena that I am strong. So getting through a fight with the biggest guy here made sense.”

The orc lay back on his bed, grinning. I turned to Cam, my mouth hanging open. My body prickled with hot anger.

“Serena? MADE SENSE?.”

It came out as nearly a shriek. Cam placed a large but gentle hand on my shoulder. I was ready to let loose all my anger on this orc, but I stopped as guards came in to take him away. He waved cheerily to Cam, and Cam gave an awkward wave back as he shook his head. The door to the ward closed, and we were alone.

I threw out my arms in frustration.

"Orcs are strange creatures. Don't think too much about it, my love."

A wave of warmth flowed over me when he said my love. Our eyes met and the need that burned in his was almost overwhelming. I took some deep breaths to calm myself. I had something to say.

"You stole my scarf."