CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Mist and Krivoth find four more violet trifolia in Storm's mayapple patch.

"Nine's a nice number," I say. "Three threes. It has a certain mathematical symmetry."

"Is that a type of magic?" Mist asks.

Remembering the way I'd stared at all my algebra tests as if they were written in a mystical, unknown language, I say, "Yes. But it's a type of magic I can't do." It's one of the reasons I became a video game writer rather than a programmer.

"Symmetry or no, nine will have to be enough." Krivoth lifts me into the saddle and keeps hold until he's sure I can stay upright on my own. "It's time for us to head back to orc lands and get the violet trifolia to King Aldronn."

"Do not forget the unicorns will share in this antidote," Storm says.

Mist adds, "The cat sith, too."

"I don't forget." Krivoth mounts behind me. "But the dragons gave the orcs the recipe for the antidote, so we go there first."

We trot through the rowan forest, the purple leaves swaying in the gentle breeze of early evening. Mist roams either ahead or to the side, remaining solid and scouting for us.

Krivoth plies me with the last of the fresh elderberries he picked the day before, telling me he's not hungry. It must be a lie—he's huge and expended a ton of energy fighting the sluagh. But I don't argue with him, especially not when the first tiny berry explodes across my tongue in a wash of tangy sweetness that makes my whole body scream, "Sugar!"

And I also don't argue because it's him. With guys in the past, I always had to be careful. If I let them "baby" me too much, it's like it flipped a switch in their brains and I went from "cute girlfriend" to "helpless girlfriend who can't take care of herself." Maybe it's my small size, but I never seemed to be able to be "capable woman who nonetheless wants to let down her guard and let someone else take care of her some of the time."

Krivoth's not like that. He values me and my power. I can let him take care of me without worrying he'll lose respect for me.

It's effing amazing.

I lean into it, sinking back into his solid strength and eating the berries from his fingers. I wish we could find another hot spring. I'd love to have a bath—his big body holding me up in the hot water, him running his fingers through my hair. Even my bones ache. I'm too worn out to do anything sexy right now, but god, that bath would be heaven!

The whole evening goes like this, with him caring for me every single second. He makes camp, cooks fiddleheads and the rabbit Mist brings us. Krivoth feeds me and tucks me into the furs, holding me close all night.

The next day is much the same. We ride hard, heading directly toward orc lands instead of in the direction we came from. I still feel like shit, everything in my body tender and aching, my muscles heavy, my magic a sluggish swirl of depleted energy.

A single night's sleep fully revived Krivoth—he doesn't even seem to notice his injury, even though it must bother him at least a little. But it if does, the pain gets buried under all his dreams of the future.

"I can't wait for us to get to Elmswood Keep. That's where King Aldronn and his guard live. That's where we'll live now that I've completed my quest."

"Don't you mean our quest," Storm grumps.

Krivoth ignores him. "I haven't been there yet myself, but everyone says it's the finest castle in all of Alarria."

"Because it's the only castle," Mist says, tone amused. "What use have Wild Fae for castles? I'm surprised the orcs built one. Perhaps you're more like your cousin the elves than you like to think."

Krivoth growls, and Mist looks at us, grinning her Cheshire-Cat smile.

Before she can stir up anything more, I ask, "And the other humans live at the castle?"

"No, Olivia and Ashley live in Moon Blade Village."

"That's where you're from!" I recognize the name.

"Yes."

"So… we're not going to live there."

His arms tighten around me. "We'll live at the castle."

"I'm sure it'll be great," I hurry to say. "It's just… I'd like to see the other women sometimes."

"Oh, don't worry. As soon as my guard duties allow me, I'll take you to Moon Blade Village. All will meet my amazing bride."

"And what will I do at Elmswood Keep? Will I be a guard, too?" I lift my hands and pretend to use my push power. "I can help fight."

"I don't know." A note of uncertainty enters his voice for the first time today. "What would you like to do?"

Oh, god. Good question. I haven't really thought about the future. The quest kind of took over my life the moment I got here. I mean, my gamer-girl brain loves quests. But what am I going to do now?

Storm leaps over a log, and Krivoth uses the strong grip of his thighs to secure us both in the saddle. Mist bounds at our side as we travel to some place new. Everyone's excited by the success of our quest. It's the thing I always loved about gaming—how all your hard work pays off. And it's always best when done with friends, working together in a team you can trust.

Also, this wasn't pixels on a screen—we did something real. We got the violet trifolia that will save people from the sluagh's deathsleep! That's effing amazing!

"I want this," I say, certainty filling me. "I want the four of us traveling and having adventures and doing important things."

"Usually, only rangers go out exploring. The king's guard stays with him. He does travel quite a bit from one orc village to the next. If you join the guard, you'll get to see them all. If not, you can stay at the castle while I'm gone," Krivoth says. "It'll all work out. You'll see. I'll finally have a good position, which means I'll be able to make you happy, no matter what."

I force myself to nod, still digesting all of this. I don't know exactly what I can be in this new world, but I'm pretty sure I don't want to sit around a castle all day.

After lots more pampering and another good night's sleep, I start to feel better. In fact, riding in Krivoth's arms today starts to feel good in a whole new way. The hand on my stomach becomes a tease of what those big fingers can do. The hard body at my back promises all the power and stamina I could ever want. And boy, do I want. I want him on top of me, over me, his whole body taking mine.

The thought of it makes everything tingle, and I squirm. My butt brushes against him, and I feel him grow hard, so I squirm again.

Krivoth growls behind me, his hand shifting until his thumb brushes the underside of my breast.

I gasp and lean forward, my nipple aching for his tou—

"We can hear you, you know," Storm says, turning his head for a second to glare with an icy blue eye. "You're on my back, for goddess' sake."

Mist purr-laughs, the sound made even more irregular by the movement of her run. "And smell you, too."

"You're not exactly discreet," the unicorn says. "But then one of you is an orc, so I suppose discreet is too much to hope for."

A laugh sputters out of me. I can't help it. "You caught us!"

Even Krivoth chuckles a little, and I love the sound, love that he can let go and enjoy life when we're like this.

A stand of blue birch waits ahead, and his arms tighten around me as he leans forward to brush a kiss to the top of my head. "This is it. We're entering orc lands."

"Oh, wonderf—"

A kelpie charges from between the trees, an ogre on its back, brandishing a mace. A familiar diagonal scar snakes across his torso.

Shit! It's the one from the standing stone! When is this asshole ever going to give up?

"Storm!" Krivoth yells. "I can't fight like this!"

With me in the way, he means.

Shit! I wanna help. I lift my hands, calling on my power. My magic moves inside me, sluggish and painful as it stretches out of the tight ball it's curled into. I connect to Alarria's might, and fire burns along every nerve. The world goes hazy through tears of pain, and every muscle locks tight as I push.

The kelpie slams into the invisible wall of my power. Its hind legs buck, throwing the ogre forward to crunch into my push.

One last flare of agony shoots through me, and my magic winks out.

The kelpie and ogre slam to the ground.

Storm slides to a stop, and Krivoth leaps from his back, pulling my limp body with him.

"I can't do anymore," I whisper from between numb lips. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You did plenty. You bought us the time we needed." He lays me on the ground and yells, "Mist! Protect her!"

"Will do!"

"I warned you." Krivoth pulls his sword free as he marches toward the ogre. "I told you if you threatened my bride again, I'd end you."

They meet in a clash of metal as Krivoth blocks a powerful swing of the wickedly spiked mace.

The kelpie rears, hooves slashing the air as it bugles a challenge, and Storm jousts toward it, his horn lowered. They meet in a clash of huge bodies.

Mist hunches, her back feet shifting from paw to paw, her tail whipping back and forth. She clearly wants to spring into battle but stays beside me.

This asshole keeps attacking us because he wants me. Now my friends are in danger. Krivoth's in danger. I can't bear it.

As Storm drives the other equine fae back, Krivoth and the ogre come into view, and Mist lets out a yowl.

A fresh cut decorates the ogre's chest, running parallel to the scar Krivoth already gave him, dripping black blood.

Satisfaction warms my belly. Yes, Krivoth will show him!

But as soon as I feel the gleam of triumph, it's snuffed out. The ogre's mace bites into Krivoth's shoulder.

He grunts in pain, the force of the blow knocking him sideways off his feet.

With a roar of victory, the ogre leaps, mace high overhead, ready to crush Krivoth's head.

"No!" I scream and throw out a hand. My magic burns inside me before guttering out, the pain only outdone by the furious ache of my heart. "Krivoth!"