Page 20 of Oath of War
I glanced to the side and noticed Alaric looking at us longingly from the corner of my eye. He made no move to come closer, however, as if he sensed Orm needed time with me alone.
‘You will be the death of me, woman. You declared my brother king. Now you want to take on the empress? I’m having doubts about whether even three of us are enough to keep you out of trouble,’ Orm teased, finally relaxing his grip before pulling my hair to the side and kissing the crook of my neck.
‘What are you doing? We’re in the middle of the street!’ I laughed.
‘And? In a city where you can find a brothel on every corner, you think anyone would be shocked to see me kiss my woman?’ he said before pressing me to his chest and laying his chin on my shoulder. I could only shake my head and sigh, trying to hide my smile.
‘Where is your decorum, Lord Commander? Onlookers may think you are harbouring strong affections for m—’ I jested when he suddenly tilted my head back, sealing my lips with a long kiss.
‘If they want to watch, they can. I’m not harbouring affection—I’mobsessedwith you to the very core of my being,’ he said, pausing for a moment, and I saw the muscles in his jaw tick rhythmically. ‘Unless . . . you want me to hide it?’
‘Well, no. I don’t mind showing affection, but judging by the strength of your . . . enthusiasm, I’m worried your beast will take over and publicly stake your claim.’ I chuckled, stroking his face, and he turned, kissing the soft skin of my palm.
‘No, I’m not quite that beastly,’ His eyebrows drew together in hesitation until the dam he was building in his mind broke loose. ‘I want to marry you. I want to stand before the gods and pledge our love in a handfasting ceremony. I want to make it so fucking grand that not only Dagome but all the fae and human kingdoms know you’ve chosen to be mine. I won’t allow any twat on the throne to ever question that you are my family.’
‘You know that the current twat on the throne is your brother?’ I teased, trying to lighten the mood that had suddenly grown too serious. I didn’t realise he felt so strongly about formally announcing our bond. Anchoring someone was a lifelong commitment, so having a handfasting ceremony had never occurred to me.
‘Anyothertwat,’ he said with a smirk. ‘If this world needs proof you chose me, I’ll ensure every living soul knows that you are, and always will be, the one who holds my heart. Please, will you—’
‘We’ve arrived,’ Alaric called out and I turned to see a sprawling mansion on the riverbank, but Orm tightened his grip on my waist.
‘Annika?’
‘After the war. And if you try to put me in a white dress, I’ll run away. Also, that was the most awkward way ever to propose to a woman.’
He shrugged. ‘You agreed, so it worked,’ he said with a content smirk. ‘You can come naked for all I care. It may even make it easier later—’
I smacked his shoulder. ‘Ormond Erenhart! What would your mother say if she heard you right now?’
‘Knowing her, probably “fucking finally.” Shame she is not here at the estate. You could have asked her yourself,’ he replied, pointing towards the main building. ‘See that balcony, that’s your bedroom.’
The building stood like a vision from a storybook—majestic and timeless but imbued with the lightness and charm of light-fae architecture.
A sprawling courtyard brimming with vibrant wildflowers welcomed us, their untamed beauty blending seamlessly with the structure’s elegance. Ivy draped the pristine white walls and sunlight danced off the exterior, making it shimmer like polished gemstones, lending the place an ethereal air. Yet beneath its beauty lay subtle defences: turrets manned by sentinels, servants with military precision in their movements, and a nearby guard post that could have passed for a fortress. Its position beside a landing field hinted at the presence of a dragon.
Just then, a deafening roar split the sky, and a black shadow plummeted to the earth.
‘Vahin!’ I cried, my voice trembling with emotion as I tore myself from Orm’s protective hold. Tumbling off the horse, I gathered my dress and sprinted towards the dragon.
Vahin landed hard, sending a tremor through the ground, before rushing to meet me. His enormous body coiled around mine in a wall of warm scales and muscles, his deep rumbling purr resonating through my chest as I clung to him, wrapping my arms around whatever part of him I could reach. His forkedtongue flicked across my cheek and neck, a tender greeting akin to a flurry of kisses.
‘Little Flame, you’re back at last, but still can’t I hear your thoughts,’ he hissed, his voice rougher than usual.
‘My magic isn’t working properly yet, but it’s coming back. Vahin, gods, I missed you so much.’ I laughed as his tongue tickled my neck. ‘Don’t—I’m filthy!’
‘There’s blood on your face,’ he growled, licking it clean before pulling back to study me with a sharp, probing gaze. ‘But some of it is yours. Who did this, Little Flame? Who made you bleed?’
‘It’s nothing a proper bath and bit of salve can’t fix. My cell wasn’t exactly luxurious, and the battle was a little messy, but Ari took care of me. I’m nearly good as new—just starving. Ormond scared off all the merchants—’
‘Little Flame. Who. Did. This?’
‘If you want revenge, you’ll have to ask Alaric to resurrect him so you can kill him again. I dealt with it, and I’m safe.’ I pressed my hands against his warm scales, soothing him with my touch.
His anger and fear weighed on me, evident in every hissing syllable. I rubbed the delicate skin of his eyelid, and his tail thudded against the ground before he curled around me tighter, a fortress of flesh and scale.
‘When we learned you were being held in the palace, I wanted to go there,’ Vahin confessed, his voice low and raw. ‘I wanted to burn, smash, and tear it apart to reach you, but I was afraid you’d be hurt. I have never felt so powerless.’
‘Oh, Vahin,’ I whispered, my heart breaking for him. ‘I’m here now. I’ll stay with you until you can hear my thoughts again.’
