Page 25 of Tik-Tok

He leaned forward, his face close to hers, never understanding personal space, but her heart thumped at his words. “Don’t worry. I won’t have dessert with Drusile, but my door will be open if you feel like something sweet later tonight.”

North blinked, and he chuckled.

“I hate you.”

“I love hearing those words from you.” His face grew serious. “Order anything else you’d like while I take care of this.”

As Tik-Tok sauntered toward the garden, Drusile brought out two bowls of soup and set them down on the table. “I always welcome new guests to join for dessert as well.” She winked at her, and North choked on her own spit as the elf grinned before heading back inside.

North smacked her chest to clear her throat, and her coughing ceased. She focused on her steaming soup, not wanting to hear any more about dessert, and brought a spoonful to her lips.

“Hot!” North whisper-shouted and dropped her spoon. “Gods!” She should have blown on the liquid or tested it out first. Fanning her mouth, she looked around the table for water,anythingto cool her mouth. Nothing.

Tik-Tok was already talking to a male with curving dark horns protruding from the sides of his head. He was too far away for her to see his other features.

Just as she was about to push up from the table and go inside to get something cool to drink, footsteps crunched from behind her. North whirled around and reached for her axe, when her gaze landed on matted copper hair. “Oh, it’s you, Rizmaela.”

The dwarf plopped down beside her on the bench, her expression moody as always.

“I owe your father something,” Rizmaela grunted.

“My father?” North’s brows drew together.

“I owe him this.” The dwarf’s hand moved so fast that North didn’t have time to blink. Sharp pain sliced at her chest. “For murdering my husband and exchanging his head for payment.”

The words sounded far away as blood bubbled up her throat, suffocating her. North peered down at the crimson blooming from her chest where a dagger jutted out. The voice inside her head screamed to grab her axe, defend herself, but everything was growing fuzzy.

Then Rizmaela ripped the blade out. An agonized gurgle escaped North’s mouth, and her gaze met Tik-Tok’s as he rushed toward her.

The world spun.

And she found herself falling, falling, falling.

Chapter Eleven

Tik-Tok

Tik-Tok’s body moved without thought. His steps were so hard and so fast that he felt the impact of each footfall vibrate through his legs. But his mind—that was suspended. Floating. Frozen.

Before he even finished properly greeting his contact, Rizmaela brandished a dagger. Shoved it into North’s chest. Despite the distance between them, North’s muted gasp echoed through his head. A low, gurgling sound. Tik-Tok’s answering roar ripped from his center and burned up his throat, sending his contact fleeing into a dark alley with the spelled object they needed to avoid Salt.

No, no, no.

Not North. Heneededher. She didn’t deserve such a violent death. And by his first mate? He had vowed she would come to no harm.Vowed it.And now that oath was broken.

His hands slammed down on either side of the dwarf’s head. One twist, one resoundingcrack, and Rizmaela’s dead body slammed to the pebbled ground before she could utter a single word in her defense.

There were no excuses for this.

One of North’s hands gripped the table’s edge, the other pressed to the gushing wound in her chest. Her eyes fluttered shut and her body swayed. Tik-Tok caught her as she slumped backward, nearly falling from the bench.

“North,” he bellowed into her pale face. “You do not get to die. Wake up.”

Blood bubbled in the corner of her mouth as her chest heaved. Each inhale was a rasp. Every following exhale, a snap.

“Fuck!” He stood, hoisting her up and cradling her small frame to his chest.Respen.They needed Respen—but the elf was on the other side of the market. He could take her to a healer faster than anyone else. Tik-Tok didn’t even know where to fucking find one. “I need a healer!” he yelled in desperation.

Drusile burst out the door and gasped, her eyes widening. “What happened?”

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