Page 45 of His Noble Savior

The first thing to hit him was the smell. Orc. Panic surged. There was only one of them—Lilian had become attuned to their odor and could tell them apart by their stink. He didn’t know this one. Cold sweat beaded on Lilian’s brow.

Where was the stench coming from? Lilian prayed the orc wasn’t approaching from the trees up the hill, cutting off his path to the castle.

He didn’t dare to move. He was out of sight, and the smallest sound might draw the beast’s attention. Lilian held his breath. Had the orc picked up his scent?

Up the hill, a figure peeled out of the shrubbery. Seven feet tall. Skin the color of dark mint. Long, silver hair. He was packed with muscles and wore nothing but a broad sword belt from which hung two straps of leather that barely covered him. Icy dread coiled up Lilian’s legs. The orc hadn’t seen him. Yet. If he stood still, there was a chance the beast wouldn’t notice him.

Running toward the safety of the castle wasn’t an option—the orc was further up the hill, between Lilian and the outer walls. He was a gigantic, violent barrier between Lilian and Richard. The only path of escape was downhill, away from Richard.

Lilian’s heart beat so loud, he feared the orc would hear it. He wanted to suck down air but didn’t dare for fear the orc would hear him breathe. His chest was about to explode with pain. His insides cramped. He couldn’t go through this again. He’d die if the orc caught him.

The orc stilled as if listening. Oh no. Oh please, no. Vertigo seized Lilian, nausea threatening to bring him to his knees. Black spots danced before his eyes.

Slowly, the orc turned in his direction. He was a mountain of muscle. It’d take him no effort to rip into Lilian. Gray eyes found Lilian’s, their expression unreadable. But Lilian knew orcs.

Terror slammed into him. All the breath Lilian had held burstfree, and he let loose a blood-curdling scream. No use being quiet now.

The orc took a step toward him, hand outstretched, and driven by fear, Lilian tore around, running blindly through the forest. He had to prevent getting caught. He wouldn’t survive this nightmare a second time.

Chapter Seventeen

Richard

Richard, pacing as he talked, was deep in conversation with Bellerose when a hair-raising scream rended the air. Lilian! Richard stopped in his tracks. Where had the scream come from? It sounded like it’d originated outside, the cry lacking the echo of the tall castle walls.

He stared at Bellerose, swearing to God he’d kill her if she’d done anything to hurt Lilian, but she looked as surprised as he did. Richard rushed over to the window and ripped it open. He couldn’t think of a reason why Lilian would be outside, but that was where the shriek had come from.

Cool morning air hit Richard as he leaned outside. He blinked at the scene unfolding at the base of the hill.

An orc with long, silver-blond hair stood where the trees gave way to the grass running up the mound to the castle. A few steps behind him stood Nathan, frozen mid-motion. Down the slope, Lilian was dashing away between the trees, running for his life.

Richard tore away. He wrested the family sword from its mount and stormed through the door. He flew down the stairs. In the great hall, the steward stepped out of her chamber, roused by his trampling down the staircase.

“There’s an orc at the foot of the hill,” Richard shouted in herdirection. “Send the knights after me.”

He sprinted out of the castle. It was stupid. He should wait for the knights instead of going after the orc alone. An orc who’d captured Nathan and sent Lilian running. Richard didn’t care. He only thought about Lilian.

If Bellerose wanted to marry Richard, she’d have to engage her knights. George and Resh might’ve heard too. Richard would have to hold his own until reinforcements joined him.

Everything in him screamed for Lilian. He had to get to him, but that meant getting through the orc first. The orc who had his brother. Richard was going to slice him to pieces.

Behind him, the doors to the barracks groaned as they opened, then slammed shut. The gravel crunched under the hurried steps of the knights, and they joined Richard as he raced through the gate and down the mound.

Sword raised, he charged the orc, ready to run him through.

Nathan threw himself between Richard and the beast. “No!”

What the hell was he doing? Richard arrested his attack lest he cut down his brother. Nathan stared at him with big eyes, holding out his hands to stop him.

“Get out of my way,” Richard barked, emotions warring in his head. He was irritated at Nathan’s behavior and, at the same time, overjoyed to see him in one piece.

“Put the weapon away,” Nathan said. He looked good, his skin darkened by the sun, his broad shoulders stretching his shirt. Muscles bulged underneath his clothes. He didn’t appear to be any less healthy than when Richard had last seen him. Captivity hadn’t emaciated him like Lilian.

He stepped forward, pushing Richard’s sword arm to the side and held onto him. “This is Ogharod. He’s a friend.”

A friend? The orc was a friend? The wave of relief at seeing Nathan alive and well was overshadowed by the presence of the menacing beast behind him and Richard’s worry for Lilian,who’d run in a panic when he spotted the orc and was now alone in the forest. Richard had to find him.

“Detain the orc,” Richard told his knights.

---