Page 57 of Claimed By the Orc Lord

I tossed the knife I’d lifted from the other orc and silently patted myself on the back when it landed right by his bound hands. I was lucky they’d tied him up in a sitting position, because I didn’t trust myself enough to lob the blade into the wooden pole he was tied to. As it was, it only took him a little bit of squirming before he had it concealed behind him, and I was more than confident that he’d be able to get himself free undetected.

Well.

If he had a distraction.

Yeah, he was definitely going to be mad at me later.

I made my way back around through the trees, so when I popped out this time, it turned everyone’s attention fully away from Nash. That meant when I let out a really loud and obnoxious yawn with my hands above my head so they could all see I clearly wasn’t armed, no one was looking at my mate when he started to cut his hands free.

I was the only one who saw the way his eyes were as wide as dinner plates, and the pinch of his mouth that told me I was in serious trouble when this was all over with.

As long as we both got out of this alive so I could be in trouble, I’d call that a win.

“Listen… I know you probably can’t understand me… which… I’m not actually sure if that’s a good or a bad thing. It means when I call you names, you aren’t going to be able to understand what I’m saying. At the same time…” I shrugged, keeping my palms out because the asshole with the bow had it raised and pointed straight at my chest now. Just like I thought—I would have totally gotten sniped if I’d tried to come out guns blazing. “I really wish I could call you some names you’d understand. I should have asked for a language lesson, I guess.”

And then, because I figured it was pretty universal when given with the right gusto, I lifted my middle fingers and flipped them off.

There was a faint snort behind them, and I started walking forward so Nash and his damn noises didn’t catch their attention before he was free.

“Listen, Koth. Buddy…” I turned to him and raised my hands, trying to pantomime the best I could what had happened in the woods. “Your guard was pretty shit. I just… headbutted him into oblivion.” My eyes trailed to his slightly swollen nose, and I gestured to it with a grin. “Kind of like I did with you, right?”

That seemed to get through to him, because he let out an angry snarl and started stalking toward me.

And I really, really hoped that Nash was good at cutting ropes, because I had a feeling he was going to beat my ass for taunting him… and if I had to, I’d take it to make sure that this all went smoothly.

But I really, really didn’t want to have to.

I took a step back and held my hands up innocently, but I didn’t dare look over his shoulder to see what Nash’s progress was. Instead, I pouted. “What’s wrong, tough guy? Sad that a widdle biddy human got the better of you? Aw, fuck you.” I dropped my eyes to his injury again and gave my best charming grin before I blew him a kiss.

And Koth charged at me.

Maybe Nash had been waiting for that, or maybe it was the sight of it that gave him the adrenaline he needed to get through the rest of his ropes. Whatever it was, there was a suddensnarlbehind the group as the orc with the bow fell to the ground with a loudsnap.

I’d only knocked my guy out; Nash had broken a neck with ease. His eyes were filled with murder, and they were all for the orc coming straight for me.

Chapter twenty-two

Nash

I’dkilledplentyoftimes before. I’d killed in battle, and to protect my brother’s lands, though few rarely spoke of that. I’d killed when a fight had broken out and it was either that orbekilled. There were no laws of the land that said I couldn’t protect myself.

But it wasn’t something I went out of my way to do. In truth, for as vicious a reputation as I had, I more enjoyed the times when my group could travel in peace, finding places like the clearing by the lake to take rest.

But now…

Now I wasn’t going to be satisfied until I had the blood of every orc in this clearing painting my body. I wasn’t going to be satisfied until I knew that each and every one of them who had the slightest bit of a hand in hurting Kai was rotting in an unmarked grave.

He was bleeding. That blood soaked my skin where I’d fastened his collar.

And there’d been a moment, one truly painful moment when I’d arrived at Koth’s little camp and found it empty, that I’d wondered if he was dead.

But no—the bond between us still existed. I could feel it.

I knew he wasn’t gone from this world.

But I didn’t know if he was hurt. I didn’t know if he was dying or being tortured. I knew nothing of what was happening to him, and it had driven me to madness to sit there and wait while Koth recounted hisgreat capture of the Orc Lordto his companions.

Which… I had taken note that there were far fewer now than there had been when he’d initially left. I wasn’t sure if they were off in other camps, or if they’d left him because his desires were foolish. Attacking Axum had been tantamount to suicide. Whatever the answer, it would make what happened now easier.

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