Page 81 of Faeling
Her lips parted on a gasp when he bent to kiss the top of her little foot. There. Let them see. Every orc would know who she was soon enough—why not start with those in the column. These were supposed to be his most loyal warriors and staff.
She was his mate, and it was his right to care for her. Had he been anyone else, had they known who she was to him, no one would question it. He refused to accept his own mating being any different. He’d waited decades for her, for the chance to cherish and care for his woman, and by the Ever-Father, he would have it.
He expected the murmurs—but not the savage, sudden growl behind him.
“No!”
Vallek was violently pushed aside, landing in a puddle.
Ripped away from him, Ravenna gasped, her yelp cut off as a hand closed around her throat.
He threw himself back up to his feet, a raging roar eruptingfrom the depths of his chest.
“ULRICH!”
Vallek surged forward, frantic to reclaim his mate, desperate to rend Ulrich’s head from his body.
“Stop!” Ulrich snarled. Lifting Ravenna by the throat, he shook her viciously as her toes scrabbled. “Show them! Reveal your true face!”
Vallek’s heart stopped as Ulrich backed toward the sheer drop of the canyon, his look malicious and wild. He whipped his tusks down, gashing along Ravenna’s shoulder and ripping the fabric of her blue cloak until it fell in a heap at their feet.
She gurgled, wriggling in midair, hands clawing at the fist that held her. Tears seeped from her eyes, gone violet in the struggle.
With a gasp, the last of her glamour fell, revealing her true face.
“Fae!”
“She’s a fae!”
Shouts rang out from the column, and Vallek felt his berserkers push forward, their anger and confusion a writhing thing at his back.
He hardly heard or cared, his hand going to Hormhím’s hilt.
Ulrich sneered, lifting Ravenna higher. “Behold, the fae spy! She’s infiltrated our ranks, enchanted our king!”
“Back, stay back!” Mattias shouted.
“Release her!” Vallek demanded, voice nearly lost to his growl. “And I’ll make your death swift.”
“Do you hear him?” Ulrich laughed madly. “He threatensme,his oldest friend. He’s been poisoned,spelled!”
“Put. Her. Down.” Vallek pulled Hormhím free of his belt, and the noise behind him gathered.
Ulrich tracked the movement, how Vallek edged ever closer. He was close enough to see the fanatic glint in Ulrich’s eyes and even worse, the terrified gleam in Ravenna’s.
Get her. Destroy the threat. Kill him.
Terror and betrayal whirled inside him, but his anger burned so brightly, it was cold. Calculating. It cleared his mind of all else; all other loyalties died, all other priorities were forgotten.
Nothing mattered but freeing her.
Ulrich stumbled forward, his leg bending at an odd angle. He grunted in pain, sweat beading down his face.
Her magic.
Yes, skala, kill him.
Snarling, Ulrich staggered back, dragging Ravenna with him, and only regained his balance at the edge of the cliff. Chest heaving, he glowered at her as he moved her over the open maw of the gorge.
