Page 9 of Oath of War
‘Yes, and I don’t like it. Making a move now could end badly—’ He paused, muttering under his breath, before nodding and looking me in the eye. ‘No, you’re right. We don’t have a choice. Even the common folk whisper that the king is no longer capable of ruling. We need to control the situation before fear makes people grab their pitchforks and torches. You wouldn’t believe the gossip I’ve heard—some have even mentioned seeing the Moroi.’
‘The Moroi?’ My brows furrowed. ‘Here? That can’t be right.’
‘Maybe,’ Ari murmured, placing my hand on his chest. ‘But the Lich King’s magic is becoming more intrusive, almost like a compulsion, like he’s running out of time. After tomorrow . . .’ He exhaled heavily. ‘Orm, I have a bad feeling. War is coming, and we don’t even know who will stand with us.’
I rubbed my temples, the weight of it all pressing down. ‘Then we take control before it spirals. Send some of your assassins to join Reynard’s guards. We’ve requested an audience with the king, so gaining entry won’t be an issue. I’ll leave it to you to disperse them throughout the palace, but I want someone at the gates ready to open them for the rest of our men when the fighting starts. Find Ani, lead her to the courtyard, and don’t look back. Vahin will be overhead, ready to extract you both.’
Alaric frowned. ‘You expect me to convince Annika to leave you behind? She’ll never—’
‘Lie if you must. Drag her if you have to. Do whatever it takes, but I want her far away from Ihrain and the chancellor.’ My voice cracked despite my effort to keep it steady. ‘If she refuses, guard her with your life. We can’t risk her getting caught in the chaos.’
‘You know I will.’ He reached for my shoulder, his grip firm. ‘But be reasonable, Orm. Even without her magic, Ani’s a fighter. She can hold her own.’
‘She shouldn’t have to!’ The words tore out of me before I could stop them. Shame and anger swirled as I admitted the truth I’d buried deep. ‘If she had her magic, whoever took her would be ash by now. I failed her, Ari. I failed as her mate, as a commander. And it won’t happen again.’
The silence that followed was heavy, my confession hanging in the air like a storm cloud. Alaric squeezed my shoulder, his voice steady and unyielding. ‘No more of that, Orm. Guilt won’t bring her back. Tomorrow, we’ll fix this. Tonight, you need rest. Both of us do.’
He shifted, laying his head on my chest, his breath warm against my skin. I stared at him, this man who, despite the darkness tormenting him, always found the words to dispel mine. When I didn’t respond, his body tensed, and he started to pull away.
Instinct overruled reason. I caught his chin, tilting his face towards mine. His golden eyes widened, filled with a hesitant understanding that made my chest ache. Slowly, I bent down and pressed my lips to his. The kiss was soft, tentative—a question I hadn’t meant to ask but couldn’t stop myself from voicing. Ari gasped, his mouth parting in surprise, and I deepened it, savouring the warmth, the trust, the tender fragility of the moment.
I expected confusion. Maybe regret. Certainly guilt. But instead, something new and unexpected bloomed inside me—a connection as delicate as it was undeniable. My tongue grazed over his small fangs, and I recalled the blood bond he had performed with Annika.Maybe one day we would be ready to have our own, I thought.
When I finally broke the kiss, I let my hand linger on his cheek, my thumb brushing against his skin. ‘Good night, my friend,’ I whispered, the words laced with more meaning than I intended.
‘Good night, my lord,’ he murmured, his voice thick with raw emotion.
I closed my eyes, willing the flood of desire away, knowing if I didn’t, I would use his beautiful mouth in an entirely different way.
And I feared he wouldn’t object.
1. Fuck.
Creeping consciousness slowly stole away my dreams until I opened my eyes to a new dawn, perhaps even a new world. Orm’s arm rested on my hip, and my mind struggled to comprehend the changes it brought.
He had been different since Ani went missing, as though the loss had carved something vital out of him. I remembered how, after the fire at the boarding house, he’d come to my room, soot-streaked and exhausted, coaxing me to drink the honey-milk concoction for my damaged throat he’d sworn could heal anything. Then Tomma rushed in with the news, and everything fell apart.
Disbelief had struck Orm like a thunderclap, and I could do nothing but watch as shock and sorrow tore through him. His clothes were still scorched and smoke-stained from the fire, a testament to the fact he hadn’t spared a thought for himself that day. Yet when the realisation hit, the sound that escaped him was inhuman—a keening cry that still echoed in my mind.
‘I can’t feel her . . .’ he’d whispered, his voice broken. Golden flames engulfed his eyes, and the man I called my brother had roared like a beast.
The world seemed to pause, frozen in the wake of his anguish. Horror squeezed my heart as I understood the gravity of his words. Then Orm had stormed out, scattering those who tried to stop him. But the berserker couldn’t be tamed by men alone.
I’d known he loved Ani. I just hadn’t realised how deeply. Now, the man who loved as fiercely as dragon fire burned hadkissedme.
The Orm of that night bore no resemblance to the peaceful giant sleeping beside me. His steady breaths brushed against my skin, his snoring a soothing rhythm that seemed to tether me to the moment. I let my hand trail over his chest, a part of me wishing he’d asked for more last night. I was ready to give him everything, but I knew it had to be his choice. For now, I was content—grateful—that his touch shielded me from the Lich King’s constant intrusion.
The room around us was serene, with its minimalist décor and tall window framing the night sky. But the scent of spilled plum wine and blood lingered, silent witnesses to my failed attempts to drown out the voices in my head. A cold autumn breeze slipped through the open window, raising goosebumps along my skin. Before I could reach for the blanket, Orm shifted, pulling me closer and pressing my back to his warmth.
‘No. Mine,’ he muttered, still lost in sleep. His arms tightened around me as he nuzzled my neck.
A small smile tugged at my lips. His breath tickled me, and I let myself sink into the comfort of his embrace. Just as sleep began to reclaim me, the silver runes etched into my chest flared to life, burning through my mind like fire.
Something pulled at my awareness, a viscous net wrapping around me, paralysing me and pulling me under.
Hrae! Dreamwalkers!My heart pounded as I fought the compulsion.Why now?
I tried to resist, pouring every ounce of willpower into strengthening my mental defences. Casting a counterspell was impossible, but I refused to yield. The net tightened, dragging me further into the dreamwalker’s construct. Just as despair began to set in, a voice rang out, and time ground to a halt.
