CHAPTER 9

OSRIK

I stride down the hallway and open the door. As soon as I walk into the room, I register the sound of shouting— my woman shouting. I'm already halfway across the bedroom before I recognize the other person in the room who's also fucking shouting.

At my woman.

One look at Rissa, and I see that she's standing up, hands fisted, face all blotchy with anger. I get instantly pissed.

"What the fuck is going on?" I growl at the other person.

Polly. That fucking saddle friend of hers. Except she couldn't even stay with Rissa while she was dying, so I don't consider her much of a friend.

I hate her on principle. Polly abandoned her on her deathbed, and I'll never forgive her for that.

"Nothing," Rissa snaps, but I go over to stand at her side and stare down the woman who's obviously upsetting her.

"There a problem?" I ask Polly.

She ignores me. She shoots Rissa one more glare before turning and storming out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Rissa's shoulders slump as soon as she's gone, but I can tell she's still mad.

"You gonna tell me what that was all about?" I ask.

Her bright blue eyes snap up to me. "No, because it's none of your business."

I look at her. "She piss you off?"

"Yes."

"Then it's my business."

The tension seems to drain out of her muscles, making her drip down onto the sofa as she sits down with a sigh. "I shouldn't have fought with her. She's just… She won't listen to me! She's going off with some man. She's stupid enough to believe that he's going to set her up in some grand life. She wouldn't even listen to my warnings about the fae army!"

I sit down next to her, my bulky frame making my thigh press against hers. "Lots of people don't believe in a fae army marching on Orea."

"I don't care," she retorts. "Polly should believe me."

My head tips. "Yeah, she should."

"And this man ." She spits out the word like it's the most disgusting one in her entire vocabulary. "I cannot believe she would be so incredibly idiotic!"

"What makes you think he won't give her a grand life ?"

Her gaze slashes to my face. "Because he's a man ," she says again. "And because he's already married ."

I grunt. "Oh."

She fumes in silence, so I wrack my brain to figure out how I can help. Then I have it. "You want me to go fuck him up?"

" What ?"

I don't know why she's looking at me like that, it's a simple fucking question.

"I could fuck him up so he cuts it off with her. Wouldn't take much."

Rissa blinks at me. Then she actually seems to consider it but then quickly shakes her head. "What am I thinking? No. Absolutely not. Besides, even if you did, she would probably just find some other man and put all her trust in him too."

"You're putting your trust in a man," I point out.

She doesn't look like she appreciates me saying that. "That's different. You and I are different."

I smirk and pull her into my lap. Her breath does that thing where it goes in quick and snaps off at the end. Fucking adorable.

"Yeah, we are different, Yellow Bell." I stroke my thumb over her soft cheek while she straddles my lap. I can't get over how soft she is. My eyes drop down to her blue dress. It looks good on her. Then again, everything looks good on her.

Actually, everything looks really fucking good off of her too…

I clear my throat, forcing my mind to pivot from that train of thought before I get hard. "You sure you don't want me to go handle him? Last chance."

She shakes her head. "No. I'm sure. Thank you for offering though. It was…sweet. In your own barbaric, brutish, ridiculous way."

"I can threaten, hurt, or kill anyone you want. You just give me a name."

She snorts, her fingers tangling in my beard. "Thank you. I'll be sure to do that if the need arises."

My need is going to arise if I don't let go of her soon.

Even so, I drop my hands to her ass and squeeze and then hold her there as I stand up. She lets out a little squeal as I carry her to the bed. When I set her down on the edge, she reaches for my pants, but I step away. Fucking hate that I have to, but we're on a tight schedule.

Her face scrunches up in irritation. "What are you doing?"

"Unfortunately, Yellow Bell, we don't have time for that. We have to pack."

She sits up straighter, eyeing me. "Pack? For what?"

"We're leaving. I gotta go to a battle." I glance around the room, searching for that trunk of clothes I'd brought her, but I don't see it. Must be in the closet. When I look back at her, I realize she's gaping at me. "What?" I ask.

"You're going to a battle ?"

Really considered more of a war, but I don't want to split hairs.

"Yeah."

She leaps to her feet. "Firstly, why are you going to a battle? And secondly, are you mad? Why would I go with you to a battle ?"

"I'm a soldier and a captain," I say slowly. "Battles are what I do. That's why I'm going."

"Okay…and why the hell would I come?"

My brows drop down into a frown. "You think I'm leaving you behind? Fuck that. You're safer with me."

She continues to stare at me. "You're…you're serious."

"Yep."

When she scoffs, I cross my arms in front of her. "You want to be separated? Stay behind? Because if that's what you really want, then that's what we'll do."

Rissa glares at me. "I am not the kind of woman who will just wait around for a man who's going off to get himself killed!" she seethes.

"Okay…" I say, thoroughly fucking confused.

She storms past me, heading for her closet.

After a few seconds, I call out, "So, you do want to come?"

"Of course I'm coming!" she snaps, voice slightly muffled as I hear her tearing through her clothes. She mutters something else but I can't catch it.

"Alright, then. Pack warm."

Her head pops out of the doorway, blonde eyebrow arched. " How warm?" she demands.

"Fifth Kingdom warm."

Her lips do that thing where they get real fucking tight as she presses them together. Then she starts tearing through her closet again, muttering more shit I can't hear.

When she comes stomping out, she's got an armful of clothes that she shoves into my chest. "I need a bag."

I glance down at the huge pile and start counting all the pieces. "This is too much shit, woman."

She gives me a look so chilling it might actually make my balls shrivel. I clear my throat. "I meant, I'll make this shit fit."

"Yes, you will," she says haughtily.

In one fluid motion, I dump the clothes onto the bed and then haul her up into my arms, landing a smack on her ass. "You're being very fucking snappish."

She digs her nails into the back of my neck. Like a kitten trying to draw first blood. Fucking cute.

"I'm always snappish," she snaps.

I rub my nose against her neck and breathe her in. "It's gonna be okay," I tell her before pulling back to look her in the eye. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

Rissa blinks, but she can't fool me. I see how shiny her eyes are. She's scared.

"What about you?" she demands. "What if you die? Then I won't be protected at all, and you'll be dead!"

I sit down on the bed with her, leaning up against the headboard. She eyes my boots on her mattress but doesn't say anything. Instead, she tucks her head under mine. I love how she does that. Fiery with me one second, then melting for me the next.

"I'm not planning on dying, Rissa."

"Don't be an idiot. No one plans to die."

I could argue that fact, but…better not right now.

Gripping her chin, I lift her face so she'll look at me. "I've been in a lot of fights to the death. Lots of battles. I'm not gonna die." She watches me dubiously. "But…if I do… You're a strong, capable, independent woman, right?"

Her back straightens as she sits up. "Of course I am."

"Exactly," I say, dropping my hand. "You think I'd bring just anyone along with me? There are some soldiers I wouldn't trust to handle this mission. But you , Yellow Bell, you can handle it. I know you won't take shit and you won't lie down and give up. You're just as much a fighter as any of my soldiers."

Her throat bobs, eyes shiny again. She takes a moment to compose herself and then clears her throat. "Well. You really should get better soldiers then."

A chuckle rolls out of me, and I kiss her on her pouty lips. "Fucking delicious," I mutter as I pull back. Then I place a kiss on her forehead before lifting her up and plopping her on the bed again as I get to my feet. "I'll get food sent up. You should bathe or primp or whatever shit you want to do. I don't know how long it'll be before you'll have the chance again. We leave in a few hours." I point at her. "Remember, dress warm ."

She stands and points her finger right back at me. "Remember, don't die ," she mocks. "Or I'm going to be absolutely furious with you."

Grinning, I lean in and give her another kiss. "I wouldn't fucking dare."

"See that you don't, Captain."

Then she goes on her tiptoes and kisses the hell out of me, getting my dick raging hard. She pulls away right when I'm about to say fuck it and rip off all her clothes. She shakes her ass more than usual as she walks off.

I grin at her retreating form. She thinks I'd go off and die? No fucking way.

I've never had more to live for than I do right now.