Chapter 5

Louisaspent a long, sleepless night. A night full of ruminating, self-recrimination, and finally, rage.

Howdare that mocking orc break into her house. How dare he essentially offer to pay her — to bribe her — for bedroomservices. And how dare he not be now lying in a flattened bloody heap on her lawn, in the logical consequence of jumping out a garret window, rather than apparently walking away unharmed, and leaving her here to stew and seethe in his wake.

Andhow dare he leave her that list of terms, too. A list she'd rushed over and read the instant he'd left, searching for the hidden trap, the knife waiting to stab her in the back — but it had all seemed infuriatingly reasonable. Not only had it detailed the amounts and payment schedule — with twenty percent to be paid after the first night, and eighty percent at the end of the ten nights — but it had offered constraints and guarantees around the camp itself, too. No more than a dozen dwellings, and two dozen inhabitants, without written permission from the landholder. No unsustainable hunting. No tree-cutting beyond deadwood, no dumping or polluting or otherwise damaging the property. And perhaps most importantly, no trespassing on the neighbouring properties.

Intruth, they were all terms Louisa should have thought of herself, and terms she would be relieved to have in place, too. Especially with Rikard blustering and raging about, making accusations and demands…

But— no. No. Of course Louisa still needed to refuse. Of course she needed to throw the orc out when he returned. She needed to shout at him that she didn't need him, or his coin, or his thoughtful terms, or his unhappy, infertile kin-brother. TheWolf of the Skai.

Thosewords still clutched unhelpfully in Louisa's belly, calling up highly alarming memories of that huge Simon orc she'd met in the library. How big and broad he'd been. How his massive body had been packed all over with powerful muscle. How he'd moved with such calm, easy assurance, and held such steadiness in his eyes. As if he could be relied upon. As if he would be… safe.

Andcurse it, how this new orc — this Killik — had somehow been even worse. His long, lean body so fluid, so relaxed, so… compelling. As if he would always know what to do. As if he could handle any unexpected incidents — like being accosted by a vile neighbour on one's evening walk — with smooth, careless ease. And he would surely take his pleasure the same way, flaunting his graceful body, cool and certain and…

Louisa'sfingers gripped tighter against the stone still in her hand, and she flopped over onto her back in the bed, glaring at the ceiling. And how dare he give her this damned — replica, let alone demanding she use it. This thing was a travesty, an abomination, there was no way any man — any orc — could actually possess… well. No possible way.

Andwait. Wait, that alone was reason enough to refuse this entire mess in the first place, wasn't it? Because there was no way it would actually… work, right? No way Louisa could… swallow this inside her, as Killik had said. And her inability to do so would be a simple, straightforward reason to refuse, wouldn't it?

Itwas with a strange, shaky desperation that Louisa thrust the stone down beneath the blanket, and yanked up her nightdress. Shivering all over at the feel of the cool, silken hardness already slipping up against her, finding its place…

Shegritted her teeth, closed her eyes, drew down a wavering breath. Forcing herself to relax, to block all the truth of it away, just as she'd learned to do over so many miserable years of marriage to her horrid lord husband. And just focus on the sensation of it, the feel of it, nothing else, just this…

Andto her vague surprise, it didn't feel… awful. Or even… aggressive, or invasive. In truth, it felt surprisingly smooth, gentle, its blunt rounded head just settling gently against her, fitting into the hollow of her, parting her sweetly around it.

Louisatook another breath, deeper this time, as the stone nudged a little closer. It already felt warmer than before, wetter, waiting for her to relax, to open wider upon it. To welcome its touch, its soft seeking against her slippery heat, delving just a little inside…

Louisagasped as she began to feel the true girth of it, slowly but deliberately spreading her around it. Opening her wider, stretching her tighter, easing itself in breath by breath. While she clutched and spasmed back against it, not quite resisting, now, but perhaps even… welcoming it. Welcoming that strange, heady sensation of stretching tighter and tighter, fuller and fuller, until —

Shehissed at the first twinge of pain, stinging and flaring behind her closed eyes — but oh, oh, it was in. It was in, it had stretched her wide open around it, and it was sinking still deeper, pain and pleasure sparking in its wake…

Louisa'shiss sounded more like a moan this time, and there was no thought of resisting, of stopping, as the stone sank even further. Occupying her, pushing her to the edge of her limit, filling her with hard solid strength. While her slick spasming body could only feel it, take it, welcome it, oh, ohhh —

Therelease flashed through her before she even saw it coming. Careening wild and rampant through her entire body, convulsing her hungry heat around the invading stone again and again and again. Wringing out burst after burst of fierce, fiery, painful ecstasy, as she gasped and arched and took it, her shaking hands clutching between her legs, her fingers trembling against the stone.

Butthen — then, it was over. Over, and Louisa was left lying there alone in bed, shivering all over. With an orc's absurd stone — replica — still jammed halfway up inside her.

Shecursed aloud as she yanked at it, shoved it down, away. Where she could pretend she'd never, ever done such a shocking thing, never attempted such a shameful deed. Never felt the bizarre unthinkable — emptiness — it seemed to leave behind…

Louisacursed again, whipping her head back and forth on the pillow, because damn her to hell, it had been… inside her. Inside her, just as Killik had demanded. If you prove you can swallow this within you, then we shall go forth with our vow.

Andnow, she'd not only gone and proven it, but she'd… obeyed Killik. She'd obliged him, given him exactly what he'd wanted. Her humiliation. Her mockery. Hershame.

Louisafought the urge to scream, and to perhaps hurl the offending stone out the window where Killik had gone — but instead she squeezed her eyes shut, and shoved onto her side. She did not want an orc in her bed. She did not want Killik's payment, or his pity, or most of all his mockery. Shedidn't. She was refusing his preposterous proposal, and that was all.

Buteven once she somehow managed to fall asleep, her dreams were fitful and broken, swarmed with smug orc faces, with powerful orc bodies, with gigantic orc… well. And worst of all, with visions of sweet, painful pleasure, of raw rippling ecstasy, of solid strength filling her very core…

Shefinally dragged herself out of bed at dawn, frowning as she pulled on a shabby work dress, and then stomped downstairs to the kitchen. To where — her shaky hands gripped at the door — a fresh cut of venison was lying innocuously on the counter, together with a handful of mushrooms, and a few sprigs of fresh herbs.

Louisa'sgroan was almost a growl, and she whirled around, and stalked for the side door. Where she yanked on her sturdy, too-large boots — they'd once belonged to the now-retired gardener — and then snatched up her longbow and quiver. She'd made a point of teaching herself how to hunt these past years, and after multiple initial difficulties, she'd become somewhat passable at it, at least enough to bring in some small game each week. And along with providing a little extra for the household, hunting had proven to be a rewarding pastime, too. AcquaintingLouisa with the earth and her land on a deep and intimate level, and allowing her time and space to be quiet, to breathe, to think through the constant stream of problems that kept plaguing her existence.

Soof course, the morning's hunting efforts soon proved to be entirely futile. Not only did Louisa fail to catch sight of a single actual target, but she even foolishly shot at a misshapen stump, and therefore bent one of her costly arrows. And her cursed brain seemed even more full of orcs than before, now circling again and again around Killik's offer, his taunts, his promises.

I shall pay your debts. Grant you these lands, for all the rest of your days.

Louisafinally gave it up as a waste of a morning, and trudged back to the house, where she was met by her baleful-looking head groom Joan, her thick black brows drawn together. "Sorry to tell you, Lou," she said flatly, "but the well's gone dry. Needs to be dug up again, I fear. We'll have to haul water from the creek until then."

Louisastared at Joan's brown face with rapidly rising dismay, as the distant ache in her skull pounded closer. Hauling water was a tedious, time-consuming chore, and they didn't have time, they didn't have the bodies, gods curse it. AndJoan knew it too, grimacing regretfully toward Louisa, and running both hands over her close-cropped black curls. "Hate to say this too," she added, "but we're out of oats for the horses, and they really should be reshoed, too. Do you want me to set it up, or…?"

Louisadragged in a shaky breath, and again silently cursed her entire existence. She'd been desperately putting off selling her last two horses, because Max and May were the sweetest creatures, and didn't deserve to be parted after so many years. Not only that, but Joan had been born and raised on the property — she was the daughter of LordScall's now-deceased stable master, an Eziran equestrian prodigy — and she had made it clear that she had no interest whatsoever in leaving the horses, or the land she'd always considered her home.

I'll never get another post like this, Lou, she'd told Louisa in her usual blunt, matter-of-fact way. No other rich landowner in the province is going to put me in charge of their stables, are they? I'm here until the end.

Butperhaps the end was closer than any of them wanted to admit, and Louisa rubbed at her aching temples, and fought fruitlessly for an answer. "Can this all wait until tomorrow?" she asked, her voice wooden. "I have a meeting with Bycroft in town this afternoon, and perhaps…"

Mr. Bycroft was Louisa's longtime banker, and perhaps he could find a way, somehow. Perhaps he could give her another loan. Perhaps she could lease out some of her land to someone who wouldn't instantly turn and lease it to LordRikard. Someone who wouldn't take offense to the orcs, and to them continuing to single-handedly feed Louisa's entire household…

ButLouisa's trip to town soon proved to be just as frustrating as the rest of her day, and Mr. Bycroft's proposed solutions were even more enraging than Killik's had been. "Why don't you just rent to LordRikard?" Bycroft asked Louisa, with an air of puzzled bemusement. "Or even sell Rikard the old place entirely? He's already your only legal heir, and he's made multiple offers now, several of them very generous — more than enough to set you up on your own here in town, as long as you practice careful economy. I've even gotten the impression that Rikard would welcome your hand in marriage, LadyScall, were you so inclined."

Withgreat effort, Louisa refrained from shouting that she would rather starve to death than marry LordRikard, or even sell him her land, for that matter. It was her land, it was her house, she'd paid through the teeth to gain it from her vile lord husband, and Rikard was not taking it from her until she was cold in the ground. He was not.

Louisawas in a truly foul temper when she finally returned home, and Elise's tasty supper of roasted herbed venison and mushrooms tasted like ash in her mouth. Not even a round of playing ball in the yard with the children helped, and finally she put up her hands and pleaded exhaustion, before she could end up inadvertently hollering at them, and ruining their day, too.

Throughoutit all, she'd been desperately fighting not to think of Killik, of his ludicrous offer. But as she finally dragged herself up to her bedroom, her steps heavy on the stairs, she couldn't seem to deny it anymore. Couldn't stop those tempting, taunting words from shouting and shuddering through her tired, aching head.

I shall pay your debts. Grant you these lands, for all the rest of your days.

Andwhen Louisa banged open the door of her room, blinking into the lamplit darkness, Killik was there. Of course he was there. Sitting calmly in the same place as before, flipping his dagger in his fingers, and watching her. Waiting for her. Waiting for her answer…

"Fine," Louisa snapped, her voice a bitter croak. "Fine. I'll do it."