Page 18 of Claimed By Stone
He pulled back after a moment, but I wasn’t ready. I followed, chasing him into the kiss again, and he met me there—mouth parting, arms sliding around me, pulling me against him like he couldn’t stand even an inch of space.
I wanted to be consumed by him.
Then he stilled, breathing hard but close, resting his forehead against mine.
“I don’t know how it’s possible,” he said, his voice all gravel and truth, “but I know you are mine.”
Gods.
This orc would be my undoing.
I needed to figure out what was happening to me.
And then, the sensation began—slow at first, but inevitable. That sinking. The slipping away. The dreadful, familiar pull back into stillness.
He pulled back, studying me. “What is it? Are you hurt?”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered as the sinking began to pull me under again.
His eyes searched mine, but I was slipping away. He cupped my face, sensing it too. His brow furrowed, and he gave his head a little shake. I wanted to reach out and kiss him again, but I couldn’t.
“Don’t go.” He drew me into his arms, holding me tight. “Please—don’t go.”
“I don’t want to,” I said, the words thick with sorrow. “I want to stay here with you.”
And then… the world began to slow.
It wasn’t time. It couldn’t be time. I needed more time with this orc who made me feel so safe. So alive.
That awful sensation of being dragged down beneath dark water returned. The warmth of him, the light in this place, thepull of something powerful and right… all of it slipped from my fingers.
Why was this happening to me?
His hand cradled my face. The heartbreak in his eyes cracked something inside me—but behind it was something else. A flicker of intrigue. A spark of quiet, unshakable determination.
As the stone took me, I knew—without question—that he would find a way.
He would save me.
That certainty was the last thing I held onto before everything went still.
Chapter 10
Thavros
It had been over a week since the enchanting statue had started to come to life, and preparations for my brother's feast were in full swing. I was happy for him. Finding his mate had saved our clan and brought back our magic. A feast was indeed deserved.
Yet, I found myself utterly distracted. Even now, as I was in a meeting with our clan leadership and the leaders of three bordering villages, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the statue visible on the floor above our round table.
"It's nice to see the crystal glowing again," said a fawn sitting across from me.
"It is," said Khuldruk, sitting back. "I want to apologize again for the scene caused by the orcs from the Westerly Clan when they tried to attack my mate. I’ve made arrangements for reimbursement and repairs to the damage."
"No need," the fawn replied with a wave. "The business this feast is bringing will be more than enough. We’ll be at capacity for weeks."
Khuldruk leaned in. "There is another reason I brought you here. In light of recent attacks, I want to know what you’re seeing in your territories. The forces trying to suppress and controlmagic are gaining ground. Even out here, in places that honor the old ways, the magic is being monitored. I believe the Orcs of the Westerly Clan have aligned themselves with those forces."
All the heads around the table nodded—except one.
