Chapter 16

Itwas another night of broken, miserable sleep. WithLouisa lying stiff and fully clothed on the edge of her bed, as far away from Ulfarr's unconscious body as she could possibly get.

Killikhad… threatened her. He'd hissed and growled at her. He'd jabbed at her with her own damned knife.

Andwhile part of Louisa wanted to rage and weep, another part of her just felt cold, and resigned, and empty. This had been… foolish. So foolish. Another foolish, selfish decision from a lonely, desperate widow. Seeking a way to escape LordScall, and thereby locking herself into a bargain with another devil instead. A devil who wasn't only cold and mocking, but genuinely, viciously dangerous.

If you dare touch my wolf again this night, it shall be to your doom.

Louisa'sheart skipped at even the thought of it, and she edged further away from Ulfarr, her eyes blinking on his shadowed, sleeping face. His face that somehow looked even more handsome, more vulnerable, in the guttering light of the lamp. His grey skin so scarred, his black lashes thick against his hard cheeks, his mouth drawn downwards, hinting at sadness even in rest.

Andfor a breath, Louisa desperately wanted to reach out, to touch him, to curl up close and quiet against him. To again taste even a whisper of how she'd felt, in the midst of all that. So… safe. So right. So… at peace.

Butno. No. That would risk all of Killik's wrath, and ruin all that hope for her future. And gods, should she even be hoping for her future anymore? BecauseKillik had shown her tonight how deep his promises went, right? And should she back out now? Should she take the loss and run, and never see them again?

Shedidn't know how long she stayed there, breathing too hard, blinking at Ulfarr's sad face in the darkness. But she must have fallen asleep at some point, because when next she jolted awake, it was to the shift of Ulfarr's big body twitching up in the bed, his breath audibly catching in his throat.

Louisa'seyes snapped open, blinking in the faint morning light from the window, and for an instant, she could only seem to stare at Ulfarr, as he stared back. His eyes shifting first with confusion, and then disbelief — and then a rapidly rising alarm, as he glanced around the room. "Where am —" he croaked, and then he squeezed his eyes shut, shook his head. "Where — where is Killik?"

Right. Of course. He still wanted Killik too, just as Killik wanted him, and Louisa had to fight for air, shove back the memory of Killik snarling at her, pointing her own knife in her face. "He — left last night," she replied, as steadily as she could. "He wanted to let you sleep, I think. But he asked me to send you along after him, once you awoke."

Therewas another instant's silence, and then Ulfarr nodded, and heaved to his feet. GivingLouisa a sudden, shocking view of his broad scarred back, his firm rounded arse — and then just a shadow of bulky, hanging bollocks between his hairy thighs as he bent to swipe for his trousers. Yanking them on with sharp, shaky movements, and then doing the same with his tunic, before kneeling and pulling on those soft black boots.

Onlythen did he glance back at Louisa in the bed, something again shifting in his eyes — and she couldn't tell if it was unease, or urgency, or maybe even regret. Or maybe he was waiting for her to say something, to ask him to stay, or come back again — but Louisa couldn't find a single word to speak. And now he was looking away, looking at the door. As if he wanted to leave, of course he wanted to leave, he couldn't just leave —

"I can — walk you out, if you like," Louisa managed, her voice a rasp. "Just in case you — run into someone."

Andgods, why hadn't she thought of that sooner? Ulfarr should have gone while it was still dark, while there was no risk of him being seen. And she could see that same awareness passing across his eyes, his mouth thinning to a grim line as he nodded.

SoLouisa clambered out of bed too, smoothing down her rumpled dress with shaky hands, and then staggering for the door. WavingUlfarr out ahead of her, and he instantly went, his shoulders stiff, his gaze held straight ahead. And though his steps were almost silent, the narrow stairs still loudly creaked under his weight, making Louisa wince with every step — but thank the gods, there was no sign of movement downstairs, no trace of her staff or the children. And once they stepped outside, Ulfarr gave a heavy exhale, his body sagging in the orange light of the rising sun.

"I… thank you, Louisa," he said, quiet, with a brief, searching glance toward her. "It was a true honour to spend this night with you."

Oh. Some of the tension untwisted from Louisa's belly, and she nodded, and twitched a wan smile toward him. "You too, sweetheart," she replied, choked. "I had such a lovely time."

Shemeant it, meant it so much it ached, and there was a sudden, foolish compulsion to lurch toward him, to embrace him, or clasp his hand, or press a kiss to his cheek. ButKillik had said no touching, and he'd maybe even threatened to kill her. And she should be telling Ulfarr she couldn't see him again, it was too dangerous, that would be the safe, logical thing to do…

Butshe could only seem to stand there blinking at him, her hands now tightly clasped together. Waiting, not breathing, not weeping, as Ulfarr finally nodded, and turned and strode away. His steps still lurching, his shoulders hunching, as if he didn't want to leave, either.

Louisawatched him go in stiff, miserable silence, her nose slightly sniffling with her breaths — and only once Ulfarr was halfway down the lane did she notice the unmistakable silhouette of Joan, standing in the stable door. WatchingUlfarr leave the house, gods damn it, while Louisa — she shot a mortified glance downwards — was horribly rumpled, and still wearing yesterday's dress, her hair surely a frizzy, highly betraying mess.

Louisacursed under her breath, and she knew she should go straight over to Joan, and attempt some explanation, some excuse. But there was only more cold, tired resignation, a dull ache behind her eyes. She didn't want to lie to Joan. She didn't want to pretend they weren't all in danger. She didn't want to acknowledge how foolish she'd been. She couldn't bear to even think of how she'd touched Ulfarr, praised him, how desperately she'd wanted him, rutting wild and shameless upon him.

Soinstead of speaking to Joan, like any decent employer should, Louisa covered her eyes with a shaky hand, and ducked back inside, toward where she kept her bow. She could go hunting, she could get some air, some space, try to think, to work through this mess. And then she would come back, and talk to Joan, and make some kind of decision…

Buteven that plan instantly proved fraught, because once Louisa had slung the bow over her shoulder, and gripped at her belt for her knife, she discovered — her knife was gone. Her knife, that Killik had sharpened last night, and waved around, and used to threaten her… and then he'd left. He'd left, and he'd taken her damned knife with him.

Louisacould have screamed with frustration, but instead she gritted her teeth, and swiped for a far inferior, rust-streaked old blade the gardener had used for pruning. And then she stomped out into the forest, her eyes still stinging, her head pounding louder with every step.

Whathad she done. What was she supposed to do.

Eventhe fresh air didn't help, or the morning quiet, or the usually soothing sight of thick greenery all around. And if there was any game to hunt, Louisa couldn't find it through her blinking eyes, her choked gasps, her racing heartbeat. And her screaming thoughts only swirled faster, harsher, because there was no good answer, there was never a good answer, why was nothing ever easy…

"Louisa!" cut in a voice, a sharp, scraping, horribly familiar voice. "I need to speak with you!"

Louisaspun around so fast she staggered, her rusty knife wavering in midair before her. Her bleary eyes fighting to see, to focus on —

LordRikard. Here. Standing here in Louisa's woods, on her property, and glowering triumphantly toward her.

Louisa'sstomach plunged, and for an instant she could only stare at him, her mouth opening and closing, as her heart blared even louder in her chest. What the hell. What the fuck was this creeping cretin doing here, again?

"What the hell, Rikard," she croaked. "I told you to stay off my property!"

Rikard'ssmile didn't falter, his beady eyes glinting with vicious, satisfied glee. "It won't be your property much longer, Louisa," he shot back. "I went to see Bycroft the other day, and he told me you're deep in arrears, and if you don't sell soon, you're bound to be foreclosed!"

What? Louisa's sluggish brain skipped backwards, back to her own recent meetings with her banker. But yes, she'd only given him Killik's coin yesterday — and at that first meeting a few days ago, Bycrofthad told her to sell, or to accept Rikard's generous offer of marriage. And damn it, he'd probably thought he was doing Louisa a favour by telling Rikard of her struggles, and gods spare her from vile meddling males, who couldn't leave her the hell alone for a single damned morning.

"Bycroft has no right to speak to you about my personal affairs," Louisa belatedly replied, her voice clipped. "Especially when I very clearly told him I wasn't going anywhere, or selling anything. This is my land, and I fully intend to keep it!"

ButRikard shook his head, his beady eyes narrowing. "You won't," he snarled. "You can't concoct funds out of nowhere, Louisa. It's about time for you to accept your situation — and if you were wise, you'd now be begging me to re-extend my very generous offer to you!"

Tore-extend his offer. His offer of marriage, he meant. The very thought striking like a sickening punch to Louisa's gut, and for a brief, dizzying breath, there was only — Ulfarr. Ulfarr, gasping and straining on her bed, grinding his thigh between Louisa's legs, watching her with such raw, reverent awe in his eyes. And after that, even the thought of Rikard touching her, kissing her with that wet little mouth, it was — it was —

"No," Louisa choked, over the bile surging in her throat. "No, Rikard. I won't."

Evensaying it was a relief, a staggering certainty in her pounding chest, but Rikard's eyes flashed with rage, and he lurched a step closer. "You're a damned fool, Louisa," he hissed. "And you can begin preparing to move out at once. Because if I'm not getting the land through marriage, I'll be getting it by buying up the mortgages, and throwing you and your little lackeys out, once and for all!"

Louisa'sbreaths heaved, her heartbeat painfully pummelling behind her eyes. He wouldn't, she wouldn't. No. AndKillik had promised to pay her at the end of this, and then he'd stolen her knife and threatened to kill her, and —

"You won't," Louisa managed, through her gasping breaths. "I've arranged — a new source of income. And if you were up-to-date on your ill-gotten gossip, you'd know I gave Bycroft a significant installment just yesterday! So" — another dragging desperate breath — "you can kindly get off my property, and leave me the hell alone!"

Hervoice rang through the air, too thin and shrill — because what if she'd still failed at this, what if she'd only bought herself a little more time? AndRikard only came closer, his mouth twisting, his eyes narrowing to slits. "A new source of income," he repeated, low and dangerous. "What kind of income? How? From where? Wait. Wait" — he jerked even closer, jabbing a thick finger toward Louisa's chest — "is it from the orcs?"

Louisastumbled backwards, her hand spasming on her wrong-feeling knife-hilt, as her heartbeat flared louder, thudding into her aching skull. "That's none of your concern, Rikard," she gulped, as steadily as she could. "This is my land, and my business, and I'll thank you not to —"

Butwithout warning, Rikard's hand flashed out — and grabbed her. Clutching painfully at Louisa's arm, and holding her here, trapping her knife down at her side, no, no, no. "It is from the orcs?" he demanded. "Are those orcs paying you, Louisa?!"

Hewas so close that his spittle was flying into Louisa's face, and too late, she fought to shove at him, to wrench backwards, away. But he was so damned strong, and she was so damned tired, after almost no sleep, and not even a bite of breakfast. AndRikard's other hand clutched to her other arm, holding her powerfully in place, and giving her a jagged little shake.

"What are you doing with the orcs, Louisa?" he growled, his voice grating through her pounding head, flashing up pure, pummelling panic. "Are you allowing them to compromise you, and defile the integrity of these lands?"

Thedarkness screeched behind Louisa's eyes, coiling in her belly, cold and bitter and terrifying. Rikard wasn't LordScall, LordScall was dead, so why wasn't she shouting, why wasn't she stabbing him and running, why couldn't she ever escape him, why did she just want to curl up on the ground and weep —

"Are you?!" Rikard shouted again, giving Louisa another jerky, painful shake. "Are you in bed with those awful orcs, Louisa?!"

Andthen, something — dropped. Dropped straight from the tree above. Landing lightly on its feet beside them, a dagger flashing in each clawed grey hand.

Itwas — it was Killik?

"Ach, fool man," Killik said to Rikard, with dark, deadly certainty. "She is."