Chapter 24

I'm still in shock when we reach the city. It doesn't make sense that my parents could have seen me as currency, an object to be sold to the highest bidder. Love was scarce in our home, but that didn't mean I was disposable.

And now, I have nothing left. Nothing but my troll.

Lo'zar holds me close to his side, his illusion restored, even though his arm is bleeding. The driver squeezes himself into the corner as far as he can and doesn't speak to us, and once he deposits us at our destination, he seems immensely grateful to be rid of us.

We have to sell Lo'zar's last ring for enough coin for both of us to return on the ship, which hasn't departed yet. It will leave in the morning, once the rest of the passengers have arrived. I buy a few medical supplies so I can treat the shallow wound on his arm, and we board.

Once we're safe in our cabin, I start to break apart. I shed every last tear left in my body, trying to wash off the sting of betrayal. My home, my family, everything I've ever known is gone.

Lo'zar just holds me as the sobs wrack my body. When there's nothing left, I curl up at his side.

I'm sorry, is all he says.

* * *

I have a long time to recover on our journey. I don't want to talk about my old life—all I want is to imagine my new one, where I could go now that I know there's nothing holding me back.

They're dead to me.

Where can we possibly go? I ask Lo'zar. Where Gusak won't be looking for you?

He sighs. I don't know. As we saw in Kalishagg, he has eyes everywhere. The only place we've been safe has been out on the open ocean.

Whatever we do, we have to be able to survive. Make a living. I have no skills, no knowledge, no craftsmanship. At least Lo'zar can steal to get by, but I'm not a sneak thief. I'm just a drain.

Hey. Lo'zar captures my chin in his hand, and leans down to peck me on the lips. It feels good and familiar and right. We can figure this out. I'll do whatever I have to do to take care of you.

But what about you? I ask. Who will take care of you?

A mischievous twinkle flashes in his eyes. I am an easy beast, he says. Sit on my cock every night and I will be plenty happy, no matter where we are.

I whack him on the shoulder, and he just lets out a belly laugh.

Be serious for a moment.

Lo'zar sighs and leans back on the bed, running his hand through my hair absently. Well, I am quite serious about that, he says. But I don't have any trades either, Rimi. Well, except the one you already know about. And that's not quite an honest living.

Honest? I laugh. No one asked about honest.

His eyebrows jump, and then that familiar wide, boyish grin spreads across his face.

In that case, he says, we could stop in Eyra Cove and see what... less savory elements might be there.

And serve another big boss? I ask. That's not you, Lo'zar. You should be a free agent. My troll is clever and smart. He doesn't need someone else telling him what to do.

He thinks about this for a long moment.

A free agent. A pair of free agents.

I nod in agreement. Teach me your ways, master.

He chuckles and pushes a lock of hair behind my ear. I'll teach you everything I can. The longer he looks at me, the more his expression becomes soft and full of something I don't quite recognize.

Rimi, he says. Have you felt it?

I'm confused by the subject change. Felt what?

The bond between us. His hands trail down my arms to my sides, over my hips, then back up to my heart. The feeling you can't shake like this was supposed to happen. Like we were meant to find each other.

Oh. That feeling. Yes. I know it well.

His grin widens when I say it as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. He slides towards me on the bed, drawing me into his lap, where his eyes bore into mine.

You're my purpose, Rimi. My everything. My mate. And I'll do whatever I have to do to give you the life you deserve with me.

I tilt my head. Your mate? What's that? My brain doesn't seem to recognize the word that he's using.

It means you're stuck with me. Forever.

Oh. I lean into his side and inhale the familiar smell of him, like that first blanket he gave me. It smells of sunshine, of home—my real home, now. That's fine.

‘Fine'? he asks with a snort.

More than fine. Good. Very good.

You don't know about the other part of it, he says. His cock is already thick and warm under his breeches, and it presses into my thigh with some urgency.

The other part? I ask as he takes off my shirt, and then his own. He starts to cover me in kisses, from my throat to my belly.

About being mates. He sucks on each of my nipples, meaningfully. I'm going fuck you, over and over, he says, untying the laces of my pants. He drags them down and his own quickly follow. He's so hard and swollen for me, all I want is to bring him inside me where he belongs. He must feel the hunger I'm feeling, because he gets a wicked grin. And every time I do, I'm going to get all of my seed deep inside you. I'm going to work hard to put as many whelps in there as I possibly can.

Oh. That wasn't what I expected. But as soon as he says it, I can feel the craving as deep in his soul as my own. I want to swallow him up and give him everything he wants. I'd never once thought of having a family of my own, but raising little hellions with someone as loving and playful as Lo'zar would, perhaps, give me the thing I wish I'd always had.

I didn't know you could do that,I say. I try to imagine those children, and I raise an eyebrow. Has anyone else done this before?

He shrugs. Who knows? Maybe we'll be the first. He rubs the head of his cock on me, over my clit and around it, until I'm dripping onto the bed. Nodding with satisfaction, he starts to slowly slide inside, one soft, easy inch at a time. I feel my orgasm starting to build before he's even reached the innermost part of me, as he gently takes me.

By the time I'm crying out and wriggling underneath him, I'm a rigid coil of desire ready to burst open, and I want nothing more than to feel him unleash everything. Lo'zar leans down so his lips are on my earlobe, and breathes against me. "Rimi," he says, rolling my name over his tongue. I'm going to give you all of it.

I nod, and say his name back to him out loud, over and over. He gasps and sinks deep inside me, and then the dam breaks. I cry out, gripping him as tight as I can as he releases it all inside me, thrusting once more for good measure. When he's finished, Lo'zar wraps my legs tight around his waist and leans over me on his elbows.

There, he says with satisfaction. I can't wait to see how big your tits get.

Lo'zar! I bop him on the head. You're not trying to get me pregnant just so my boobs are bigger, are you?

No. Not just because of that. His smirk is so self-satisfied. I also want to see you big and round with my whelps. I want to raise many smart, sweet ones. Just like you.

I bury my face in his neck, trying to stifle the bright heat in my cheeks. I want that, too, whatever kind of life we end up with. I want to have children I can love, who would feel loved.

All right, big guy, I tell him. I can already feel his insatiable cock rousing itself again. You'd better get to work.

My charming troll grins down at me, mouth cocked to one side. With pleasure.