CHAPTER TWELVE

I’m going to strangle the unicorn, who seems more and more like a pooka with every passing second, shooting me laughing glances from golden eyes. His every look is a constant reminder that he can tell Selena a pack of lies, spin a story about the Moon Goddess summoning me to find her because she’s my moon bound bride, when it’s clear she can’t be.

No matter how much I wish it. My gaze goes to her, to her bright enthusiasm as she soaks up everything we tell her about Alarria. She’s so delighted to hear she was chosen by a goddess that her whole body vibrates with happiness .

I want to bathe in it, steal some of for myself.

Which is exactly why I don’t deserve her. Selena needs someone who will bring her joy, not leach off of hers.

Selena’s voice is hesitant when she speaks next, and I hate it, because I know my bad mood caused it. “So you said there are other human women here in Faerie, in… Alarria?”

“You’re the fifth witch brought to Alarria in the past couple of months,” I say. “They’re the reason for my quest, actually.” I tell her all about our enemy, the sluagh, and how the soul stealers use deathsleep to put other fae into hundred-year comas. “They’ve developed a new formula that works on humans. The crystal we’re looking for is supposed to provide an antidote.”

“Then let’s get going!” She pushes to her feet, her enthusiasm restored. “You can tell me the rest as we ride.”

“Yes, you can tell her all about the other human women.” Dash’s voice takes on a knowing tone. “Or should I say, the other moon bound br—”

“Unicorn,” I growl, folding up both pieces of paper and stowing them in my pack.

He laughs.

All of my tension from earlier returns, the muscles in my shoulders knotting. Goddess take him! He’s going to hold this over my head, make me worry about when he’ll finally tell her. Because I have no doubt he eventually will. The prospect is too “amusing” for him not to.

If we didn’t need his help so badly, I’d send him on his way. Yet as easy as it would be for me to hike quickly to our destination, Selena’s a different matter. Her much shorter legs would make it impossible for her to keep up, and that’s assuming her healing ability could give her an orc’s endurance. Dash’s travel magic will greatly speed our quest, meaning I can get Selena to the safety of Moon Blade Village much more quickly.

I use my magic to add more attachments to my improvised saddle, the leather flowing and doing my will. Then I strap everything to him, including my traveling guitar case.

“Is that what I think it is?” Selena asks, eyes bright. “You have to play for me.”

I grunt.

“That better be your ‘yes’ grunt.” She points at me. “Because I’m not taking no for an answer.”

My lips twitch as I set my hands at her waist, lifting her into the saddle and holding her until she finds her seat.

As soon as I mount behind her, Dash takes off at a trot, cutting across the sunlit meadow to enter the woods on the other side.

Selena settles back against me, and her voice is sweet and soft when she says, “I really loved your singing. It helped a lot last night. Thank you.”

Her praise warms my chest, and my arms tighten around her. “I’ll sing for you.”

Over the years, I’ve performed for many crowds and have even sung for my king. But Selena’s special. She’ll be the most important audience of my life.

We stop in a small glen when the sun is directly overhead. Dash immediately begins to graze, taking advantage of the grass, which fortunately keeps his big mouth busy.

Lunch for the rest of us is fresh bread and cheese and the tart little apples of summer I brought from the village.

“Oh, this is good.” Selena’s little human teeth rip into the bread with all the ferocity of an orc.

I love seeing her eat with such appetite.

“Moon Blade Village has a fine bakery,” I say.

“Tell me more about your village.”

Taking a bite to give myself a moment to think, I chew slowly, then swallow. “It’s a good place full of good people.”

“That tells me almost nothing.” She exhales in amusement.

I think back over the last few weeks and try to see the village as she’ll see it—as someone without any painful associations would see it. “My favorite time is evenings. Everyone cleans up from work, either using the magic of the cleaning cloths or by taking a soak in the communal baths.”

“Communal?” She raises an eyebrow, a coy smile curling her lips.

A possessive beast roars within my chest at the thought of anyone seeing her naked curves. It’s startling. Orcs aren’t precious about nudity. I normally spend every evening in the baths. By the goddess, not two weeks past, I brawled with Krivoth because he always hid his bride Taylor away in the private bathing room.

Fuck. I’ll have to apologize. But to do so would mean admitting how Selena makes me feel, when she won’t be mine. Instead, I’ll have to live with knowing I’m a hypocrite. I scowl.

“So you don’t like the baths?” Selena asks, her smile slipping.

“I love the baths,” I growl, unwilling to lie to her, even if it would provide an easy way to cover all the confusing things I’m feeling. I smooth my expression and continue. “Afterward, most people eat at home with their families before going down to the pub.”

“Do you eat with your family?” Her voice sounds very casual as she drops her eyes to where her fingers pull a chunk off the cheese and work it into a little ball. “With your… wife?”

“No. I’m not handfasted, not mated.”

She glances up with a small smile and pops the ball of cheese into her mouth. “Good.”

That single word flashes through me. I shouldn’t like it so much.

But I do.

“The pub is the heart of the village,” I say. “Everyone drinks and brawls and tells tall tales. Anyone who doesn’t want to eat at home can find a hot meal. And the ale is some of the finest in the land.”

She gives me an assessing look, then shakes her head and points at me. “That’s not why you love it.”

“No, it’s not.” A frisson of shock goes through me that she sees me so clearly. Most people who’ve just met me seem to think there’s nothing beyond the grumpiness. “I love it because it’s where I sing. ”

As much as my scowls put everyone off, my voice pulls them in. When I sing for the crowd, I become one of them. I’m accepted, valued for more than my strong sword arm.

“You’re Alarria’s rock god.” She holds up her hands so her thumbs and forefingers make a square frame she eyes me through. “I can see it. The good looks, the hair, the bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold scowl.”

I turn that scowl on her. “I’m no boy.”

“Relax. It’s a saying.” She pats my knee. “You’re clearly all man or orc or fae or however you say it here.”

My leg burns, branded by her touch, fire racing up my thigh to flash over my cock and set it hardening.

Selena deserves better than me, but that doesn’t stop the selfish need welling inside me that longs to claim her.

Dear goddess, however am I going to resist this woman?