Page 51 of The Orc's Innocent Plaything

His kisses could never be uncomfortable.

And so, when he bent his lips to claim me in front of the clan, I’d melted into his arms, hearing the cheers and whoops of our friends around us, and felt him smile.

After that, it seemed so simple to prepare for our journey together.

I still wasn’t completely convinced that Nan was innocent in all of this. If I hadn’t personally checked her stores of sea holly and seen that the clan, in fact,wasrunning low, I might have thought she’d had some ulterior motive for getting me out of the village.

Or mayhap, getting Vartok to escort me.

‘Twas difficult leaving my sister. Avie’s bleeding had slowed and she showed no signs of infection, but she was still so weak. Why, even nursing seemed to exhaust her!

I hesitated to leave her until Vartok took my hands in his and said, “Love, what can ye do that Nan cannae? Would ye prefer I find someone else to fetch the roots Avaleen needs?”

And I realized he was right. Avieneededthis root to heal, and, for now, she was safe with Nan. The old womanwould care for her and I had to trust that. Besides…after our first day of travel, I had to admit a sense of relief.

Because, liberated from the yoke of responsibility I’d gladly taken on in the village, while traveling with Vartok, I felt…free. I didn’thaveto be in charge, not here. Not with him.

Aye, I worried over Avaleen—despite knowing she was in good hands. And aye, I would have preferred a more temperate time of year to go adventuring. But the cold winter nights merely meant that Vartok and I had to get…creativein our attempts to stay warm.

Luckily, he was known in the Highlands, and we were offered shelter and supplies more often than not. ‘Twas interesting to see the respect and admiration his allies gave him, despite him claiming he had no wish to be a chief.

“What?” he asked from his horse after we left a homestead of a particularly thrilled crofter. “Why are ye looking at me like that?”

I shrugged, grinning slightly as I sat tall in my saddle.

“Just thinking. You might not want to be a chief, Vartok, but you are very good at it.”

“Bah,” he scowled, tugging his animal toward the path. “Charming people is easy. Making decisions that affect an entire clan, people I love?” He shot me an enigmatic look. “More difficult.”

This was undeniably true.

Still, ‘twas a treat to see his skills, hischarmat work. No wonder the Bloodfire Clan were aligned with so many of their neighbors. With Vartok leading, everyone must like us.

Us?

Aye, us. I could not go back to live in the human world, not after I’d experienced this paradise. True, I didn’t have a real place to belong, but in Bloodfire Village, I had a purpose. ‘Twas my home, if only because the people I loved called it home.

Avaleen, Nan, Mkaalad, Isadora and Amma and Verna…and even Vartok.

Aye, Vartok most of all.

I shifted in the saddle, realizing since wee Ella’s birth, I’d slept in Vartok’s bed, not my own. He’d fetched my clothing for me, too, so my two gowns hung on pegs inhiscottage. ‘Twas temporary, of course; he was just letting me stay there while Avaleen recovered.

Except…

Except, it feltright. Sleeping in his bed. Eating at his table, helping to tidy his home. It felt right. Like I finally, at long last, truly had a place to belong.

Sighing, I shifted in the saddle again.

‘Tis temporary. You are only his student, naught more. He would still be treating you as if you did not exist had you not been drunk enough to beg him for lessons.

“Are ye feeling aright?”

At his question, my gaze snapped from the frozen trail ahead to Vartok, who was watching me with concern. I couldfeelhis meaning, and my cheeks began to heat.

“Aye, of course,” I blurted, too high-pitched to be believable.

For certes, his lips curled knowingly, and he nudged his horse closer to mine.

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