Chapter 6

6

T he Skai was here. Outside the sickroom. Looking at Eben . Touching Eben . And …

Ach , Ka -esh! Watch where you’re headed.

And … chastising him. Correcting him.

The bitter, miserable humiliation swelled higher in Eben’s chest, and he belatedly shook his head, squeezed his eyes shut. “ I am — sorry,” he gulped, without looking at the orc’s face. “ I only did not —”

But his voice broke there, because what? He hadn’t looked? He hadn’t scented? He was an orc, he was Ka -esh, he knew how to navigate without vision, had all his life, so why was he — why was he —

Why was he almost weeping, here in the damned corridor. What was wrong with him, what was happening to him, maybe he should march himself straight back to Efterar and —

“ I am — sorry, sir,” he gasped, pleading, blinking back up toward the orc’s face. “ It shall not — happen again.”

He jerked backwards, twisting away, toward the distant safety of the Ka -esh wing — but nothing happened. Nothing moved. Because the orc’s hands were still holding him here, his grip strong and firm against Eben’s trembling shoulders.

“ Ach , no need to apologize, Ka -esh!” the orc replied, a little rushed. “ An ’ no need to scent thus, either! Didn’t mean to vex you.”

His voice had softened as he’d spoken, and Eben blinked blearily up at his handsome, too-close face, at the strange look in his eyes. At something almost like — concern?

“ It is — quite all r-right,” Eben stammered, his voice not even slightly his own. “ I was — careless. Foolish .”

The orc’s brow creased, and one of his hands gave Eben’s shoulder a little squeeze. “ Ach , don’t speak thus, Ka -esh,” he said firmly. “ No harm done, you ken?”

He squeezed Eben’s shoulder again, his gaze searching but genial on Eben’s face. On where Eben was blatantly staring back, curse it, and he swallowed hard, and attempted a nod. “ Th -thank you,” he croaked. “ That is — very kind.”

The orc flashed him a stunning, relieved smile, and gave a dismissive wave of his graceful, long-fingered hand. “ No need to thank me, Ka -esh,” he said. “ Happy to help.”

With that, he released Eben’s arms, gave him a jaunty little wink, and then spun and strode toward… the sickroom. The sickroom? As if — he hadn’t scented of illness, had he?

Eben wasn’t moving, wasn’t breathing, was now just straining to listen as the orc’s voice carried out the sickroom door. “ Just wanted to see how the new woman’s faring,” he was saying. “ Can I bring her anything? Treats ? A clean fur, mayhap?”

Eben blinked, because surely this orc had no association whatsoever with Alma … did he? Or perhaps — perhaps he was attempting to court her? Perhaps he carried that seemingly ubiquitous longing for women borne by so many of their kin?

Something cold had begun scraping up Eben’s spine, and he was distantly gratified to hear Kesst’s loud, derisive scoff. “ What , have you developed a secret passion for Alma too, Tryggr ?” he demanded. “ Rest assured, she does not need any more Skai involvement in her life right now!”

Eben’s body jolted all over, his heart skipping a beat in his chest. The orc’s name was Tryggr . Tryggr . And Eben wanted to bless Kesst , curse Kesst , and what would this Tryggr say to being greeted like this, having his clan brought into this…

“ Never spoken to the woman in my life,” came Tryggr’s voice, just a shade cooler than before. “ An ’ haven’t the slightest interest in her, either. But she’s Boss’s responsibility now, and since I’m working with Boss these days, I’m here to do my part.”

Oh . Comprehension flared across Eben’s thoughts, staggering him heavily against the nearby wall. This Tryggr worked with Drafli . And yes, Drafli did command his own small team of Skai scouts and fighters, didn’t he? But … why would he send one of them to check on Alma ? To help her? Because she was Drafli’s responsibility ?

Kesst seemed to share Eben’s confusion, and another loud scoff filtered out through the doorway. “ How is Alma Drafli’s responsibility in any way whatsoever?” he demanded. “ If you haven’t heard, he’s the one who just raged at her in the baths, and sent her running back here weeping!”

There was an instant’s hanging silence, during which Eben fervently wished he could see this Tryggr’s face — but when Tryggr spoke again, his voice was still smooth, almost deceptively easy. “ Ach , I have heard of this, and wished to offer any help. But I’m glad you’ve got her looked after, and you’ll keep a close eye on her, ach? Make sure she don’t do anything rash?”

Kesst scoffed again, sounding highly affronted this time. “ You can assure Drafli we have the situation well in hand,” he drawled back. “ And as if Alma’s going to do anything rash in this state! Because of him !”

Another instant’s stillness rang through the air, followed by a familiar low murmur — Efterar , no doubt seeking to settle his fractious mate. But there was no reply from this Tryggr , and suddenly he was — here. Here , striding out the sickroom door again, his head held high, his hands in fists — and no, Eben couldn’t move in time, and Tryggr’s shoulder knocked painfully into him, sending him reeling back against the wall.

Damn it, damn it, because Tryggr had already whirled around toward Eben , his eyes blazing. And Eben flinched, cringing backwards, bracing himself for this Tryggr’s anger, or — or worse, his mockery. His inevitable realization that Eben had been shamefully lurking, eavesdropping on that entire conversation, and —

And then Tryggr’s eyes… stilled. Softened . And that was a wry laugh, a shake of his head, as his hand came to Eben’s shoulder, gave it a gentle squeeze.

“ Sorry , Ka -esh,” he said, hoarse. “ Now I’m the one not seeing where I’m going! Some Skai I am, to not be able to walk down a hall without crashing.”

He laughed again, but there was still a twinge of darkness in his eyes. And somehow Eben’s commiseration was drowning out the alarm and shame, a wavering smile twitching at his mouth.

“ N -no harm done,” he managed, echoing Tryggr’s own words from before. “ Naught to apologize over.”

The recognition shimmered across this Tryggr’s eyes, and his smile flashed higher, warmer. “ Ach , just so, Ka -esh,” he replied. “ Was just a bit worked up, I ken. That Ash - Kai is a real rabble-rouser, ain’t he? No wonder you were in the same state last time we crashed. Must need a shocking amount of breaks, round here.”

Oh . Eben couldn’t help his own shaky laugh, or his deep, sudden surge of gratefulness toward this Tryggr . Because not only had Tryggr not judged him for lurking and eavesdropping in the corridor — but now he was identifying with him, and sympathizing with him, over Kesst . And while Eben personally found Kesst highly trying, he was also a very handsome, popular, charismatic orc, who was mated to the mountain’s brilliant, universally respected Chief Healer — and thus, Eben had never heard anyone speak such blasphemy about him, not once. Or rather, not until now, until this Tryggr , and it felt warm and tenuous in his chest, almost about to burst. And Eben couldn’t stop looking at Tryggr , smiling at Tryggr , even as his mouth opened on its own, about to say…

“ But — why would Drafli send you to check on Alma ?” his cursed voice asked, before he could stop it. “ Or consider her — his responsibility? I thought…”

I thought Drafli wanted to kill her , he very nearly said, but he belatedly winced and clamped his fool mouth shut, and shook his head. What the hell was he saying, how had he become this much of a mess, he should still turn around and run, and…

“ Ach , well, the woman’s bonded to Boss’s mate, ain’t she?” Tryggr replied, and when Eben blinked at him, he was casually shrugging, his eyes easy and genial, as if there’d been nothing unusual whatsoever about Eben’s question. “ I ken it hasn’t been an easy tangle to deal with, but Boss still won’t want to see her come to harm. Wouldn’t want to risk hurting his mate, you ken.”

He spoke with such blithe confidence, without even a trace of guile in his voice — and Eben couldn’t help frowning at him, the skepticism studding too strong in his own scent. “ But how can you… be sure?” he asked thickly. “ How can you know Drafli might not rather just… be rid of her?”

Tryggr blinked, but then shook his head. “ He wouldn’t,” he said firmly. “ Boss swore vows to his mate, swore to protect him with his life, and Skai don’t take vows lightly, ach? An ’ besides” — he darted an irritable glance toward the sickroom door — “he specially asked me to come check in on her just now, ach? No doubt knew he’d be run off by that snippy Ash - Kai if he came himself — not that I fared much better, I ken.”

He huffed a wry, regretful laugh, and gave another companionable squeeze to Eben’s shoulder. Because wait, he was still touching Eben , had been touching Eben throughout all this — and perhaps it was that touch, that steady certainty, that seemed to inexplicably settle Eben’s stiff shoulders, his breath slowly exhaling. And somehow, the tight knot of dread and misery that had been festering in his chest all these past days had finally seemed to… loosen, sinking into a strange, shaky relief. As if he almost… believed this orc. This Skai .

“ Naught to fret over, Ka -esh,” Tryggr said now, with a reassuring little shake to his shoulder. “ Boss won’t harm her. I ken he might not like her, or be glad she’s here, and he’s bound to lose his temper over it now and again. But he’ll still want to make sure she’s safe and looked after, so she can’t bring any harm down on his mate. And if it makes you feel any better, we’re all keeping an eye on him, too. Ach ?”

The calm, confident certainty was still there, ringing in Tryggr’s eyes and his voice and his scent, and for an instant, Eben’s memory snapped backwards, to that moment with Drafli and the dagger. To how Drafli could have so easily have killed Alma , and Eben too — but he hadn’t. He’d reconsidered it, and left. And despite his lapses in temper afterwards, he still hadn’t made another actual murder attempt, had he? And did he really want Alma safe and looked after, could that be true, and maybe…

“ Maybe I could — help you keep an eye on her,” Eben blurted out, without at all meaning to. “ On — on Alma , I mean. Let you know if aught is amiss.”

Wait , was he saying that because he still didn’t trust Drafli , or — curse him — because of this Tryggr . And Tryggr was blinking at him, something shifting in his eyes and his scent, something Eben couldn’t at all read…

But then Tryggr jerked a curt nod, and his hand on Eben’s shoulder gave him another firm little shake. “ Y’know , that’d be good of you, Ka -esh,” he said. “ Real good. Thanks .”

Real good . The praise flared and rippled up Eben’s spine, pulled a small, shaky smile to his mouth. “ Happy to help,” he murmured, again echoing Tryggr’s own words from before — and yes, yes, that was appreciation in Tryggr’s eyes, in the new dimple quivering in his cheek. And oh, in the way he leaned in a little, his breath slowly inhaling, as if drawing in Eben’s scent, lingering in it…

And fuck, Eben could scent him, too. Deep , and sweet, and rich. Strong enough that it watered in his mouth, stirred low in his groin…

“ Then come to me whenever you need,” Tryggr said now, leaning backwards again, giving Eben another quick smile, another bracing little shake. “ I’ll keep a nose out for your scent, ach?”

Right . Right . Tryggr had only been teaching himself Eben’s scent, like any competent orc with a plan would do, and that was all. That was all, but it was still fizzling in Eben’s belly, warming his eyes and his smile. He had a plan, with this Skai . With this… Tryggr .

And Tryggr was nodding again, and giving Eben one last companionable little shake before releasing his arm and striding down the corridor, away. His steps smooth and rolling, his soft black boots utterly silent on the stone floor, the dagger in his hair briefly gleaming in the lamplight. And Eben couldn’t stop staring, drinking up the sight of him, of that lean strong back, that firm muscled arse in his trousers…

Never trust a Skai , his father’s distant voice was droning, dragging up visions of Drafli with the dagger — but now another voice was rising, too. No harm done. That’d be good of you, real good. Come to me whenever you need. I can show you the way…

It seemed to keep shifting something, changing something deep and fundamental in Eben’s thoughts. And he drew in a deep breath as he gazed down the empty corridor, tasted the remnants of Tryggr’s sweet scent in the air.

Maybe he’d done enough observing. Maybe it was time… to act.