Page 126 of Faeling
Even his beast knew it.
But that day, Vallek hadn’t just brought Hormhím with him. He’d brought his days of concern over Ravenna, compounded now with new fears over keeping her safe within his own citadel. He was tired, angry, and his sympathy only extended so far.
A flash of his tusks was Grogar’s only warning.
Vallek flung Hormhím at the paladin, end over end, aiming for Grogar’s head, just as he had for Byrk’s.
The court hardly had time to gasp as Hormhímwhooshedthrough the air.
They gasped again when the axe stopped in midair, the blade suspended a mere inch from Grogar’s nose.
The paladin let out a choking sort of cry, his trembling knees buckling as he fell back into the crowd.
Hormhím shuddered before floating back to hang in the air before Vallek, waiting for him to retake the hilt.
Before he could, Ravenna entered his vision.
“There’s been enough blood for one day, my love,” she told him gently.
Vallek reached to take Hormhím, feeling her magic fall away from the axe once he had hold of it. Frustrated bloodlust, fears over her, and a sharp lust to see her wielding her magic were a potent mix inside him.
He felt his pupils dilate as he watched her come round to stand on his other side.
Looking out at the gathered crowd, Ravenna spoke in a clear, calm voice. “I may be part fae, but I was raised as a human. I’ve spent more time amongst you than I have my father’s people. I have no love nor loyalty to the Fae Queen.” Wrapping her hand around Vallek’s arm, she said, “My love and loyalty belong to Vallek Far-Sight, your king, and therefore, to you.”
Vallek’s attention narrowed to only her. It wasn’t how he’d expected to get the words, and he’d certainly ask for them again later, in private, but his chest swelled with a painful, overwhelming pride. Gods, she was something to behold.
“The word of the queen,” Vallek announced, although hecouldn’t tear his gaze away from his magnificent mate. “Let all here remember it—and her mercy.”
29
Later, so much later that it was only Ravenna, Vallek, and their guards remaining in the basilica, she stood from her throne and climbed into herazai’s lap. His warmth and arms immediately surrounded her, tucking her to his chest as they found a familiar position. Her tired back melted into his big body, letting him take her weight.
Fates, what a day.
It wasn’t that she thought being his mate and queen would be easy—but she couldn’t have anticipated how it was one damn thing after another. She supposed she should’ve expected this; not only was Vallek in the middle of forging a new kingdom, his taking her as his mate was, at least for orc chieftains, unprecedented.
Although, she doubted the life of a monarch, especially one as active as Vallek wanted to be, was ever truly peaceful. There would likely be lulls to look forward to, but if it wasn’t one thing, it was something else.
It was a reality she had to get used to.
The past few days had proved to her that while Vallek would do all he could to ease her burdens, she couldn’t rely on her previous coping techniques. She couldn’t run away and seclude herself. There would be no more long stretches of days by herself, with only her thoughts for company.
She wasn’t the halfling girl in that seaside cottage anymore.
Ravenna wasn’t sure what she was. Oh, to be sure, she knew what Vallek would tell her. She was his mate and queen of orc-kin. Perhaps that was true, but it didn’t feel as true as the halfling girl by the sea.
And perhaps, watching Vallek split open the head of a traitor, she could understand why.
At the heart of their mating, their friendship, their very acquaintance, was a betrayal. A lie by omission.
Although the spy’s body had long since been taken away and the blood mopped up from the flagstones, Ravenna could still see the shadows of that gory pool. She didn’t regret witnessing the execution, nor bear any sympathy towards the traitor—yet, in her darkened mood, she couldn’t help a shudder.
Vallek’s arms tightened around her. “Are you cold?”
“No, just tired.” She was, in fact, so warm and cozy in his arms that she was loath to move, even back to their rooms to undress. Her ears ached from all the earrings, and her shoulders complained from all the stiff posture, but for the moment, she was far too comfortable to get up.
“I regret you had to see that,” he rumbled, “but you handled it impressively.”
