Chapter 9

9

F or an instant, nothing happened. Nothing , but the incessant noise and chaos, while Tryggr kept plunging into the orc beneath him.

And the huge orc saw it, and laughed. Laughed , loud and triumphant, as he pinned Eben closer against the wall, his breath hot and nauseating, his swollen groin grinding hard into Eben’s belly.

Eben’s panic was screaming white and wild, now, blinding his eyes, trembling his entire body against the orc’s massive bulk. What could he do, surely someone would notice or help, maybe he could catch Efterar or Kesst’s attention somehow — but the room was too full of noise and blood and mayhem, oh please, please —

“ Help !” Eben gasped. “ Help , please! Please ! Sir !”

When — there. Tryggr’s body jerked up, his head snapping sideways, toward — toward Eben . Toward where Eben was cringing and cowering against the wall, against the orc — and oh no, no, Eben could even feel water streaking down his cheeks, hot and shameful and humiliating. While Tryggr just kept blankly staring at him, as if not seeing, not following. Maybe not even — not even caring.

And oh, Eben didn’t care, he didn’t, never trust a Skai , never — but wait. Wait . Tryggr was leaping to his feet, yanking up his trousers. And then lurching over toward them with astonishing speed, vaulting over another pair of grappling orcs on the way.

“ What the fuck, Skaap !” Tryggr snarled, as he drove his shoulder into the huge orc, and shoved him sideways. “ Can’t you scent how terrified he is? Skai -kesh above, he’s weeping !”

And no, no, Eben wasn’t weeping, why was he weeping, the water streaming down his face, his head hanging, his shoulders heaving. Betraying all his shame, his horrifying humiliation, for all these orcs to see, for this Skaap to see, for Tryggr to see —

“ Ach , Ka -esh,” came Tryggr’s voice, rushed and urgent — and that was his hand on Eben’s face, tilting it up toward him. “ Ach , you’re all right. I’ve got you. Naught to fear, ach?”

Oh . Oh . Eben sank against the wall behind him, his eyes fluttering closed, and that was an odd sound from Tryggr before him, much like a growl — but his hand kept cradling Eben’s face, caressing against his wet cheek. “ Ach , naught to fear, sweet Ka -esh. No need to scent thus. Skaap shall never come near you again.”

His voice had deepened at the end, into something hard and almost dangerous — and when Eben blinked up again, Tryggr was baring his teeth, and glaring over his shoulder. Toward where a cold-eyed Skaap was rapidly backing away from them, sinking into the clamouring throng.

It was enough to sag Eben heavier against the wall, and perhaps he’d even managed a nod. And Tryggr’s hand on his face gave another approving little caress, his eyes slowly softening, despite the grim tightness still on his mouth.

“ You’re all right, Ka -esh,” he said, even gentler than before. “ Now , is aught else amiss? You come here to find me? To speak to me?”

Eben twitched another nod, and suddenly the urgent surging panic was here again, stark and scraping in his belly. “ It’s — Alma ,” he gasped. “ She’s — gone. Run away.”

Tryggr’s eyes snapped wide, and then darted sideways, catching on — Drafli . Drafli , halfway across the room, his lean body whirling through the air, and hurling another orc onto the floor. But he’d almost seemed to sense Tryggr’s gaze, somehow, because he twitched around, frowning — and then Tryggr’s hand rapidly began moving in midair, speaking in their sign language.

Drafli instantly stiffened, his hand snatching sideways, toward — oh. Baldr , who’d been fighting close beside him. And at another sharp motion from Drafli’s clawed hand, Baldr frowned and closed his eyes, inhaling deep — and then he stiffened all over, too. And without a word, or a single glance around them, they both sprinted for the door, dodging and leaping over other orcs as they went.

“ I’d best round up a few brothers to help, just in case,” Tryggr said now, turning back to Eben with unmistakable urgency in his scent. “ Mayhap you oughta —”

He hesitated, grimacing and glancing around the still-chaotic room — but at least that terrifying Skaap orc was no longer in sight, and Eben drew in a thick, shaky breath. “ I shall go,” he replied, as steadily as he could. “ I hope Alma shall soon — be found, and safe.”

Tryggr twitched a nod, and that was distinct relief in his eyes. Wanting Eben well out of the way, clearly, and Eben fought to ignore the plunge in his belly as he took another breath, and shoved himself sideways. Lurching back along the wall toward the exit — which suddenly seemed very far away — and his panic was already rattling higher, his eyes darting around at the utter chaos of this horrible room. He could only push himself through it, hope no one else would notice him, and…

And then something grasped his hand, warm and firm — and when Eben startled to look, it was only Tryggr again, an apologetic smile on his mouth. “ I’ll walk you out, Ka -esh,” he said. “ Naught to fear, ach?”

Eben couldn’t deny the sudden sinking relief, heavily dropping his shoulders, even as more bitter, shameful misery churned in his belly. Tryggr had seen his fear, and was now coddling him, condescending to him, as though Eben were some helpless, useless weakling, a pet , who couldn’t cross a room unattended. And worst of all, it was true, and Eben desperately clung to that solid warm hand as Tryggr began striding toward the door, drawing Eben swiftly along behind him.

To Eben’s relief, they reached the corridor without further incident, though the scent of Tryggr’s urgency was now burning through the air — so Eben squared his shoulders, and withdrew his hand as quickly as he could. “ Th -thank you,” he said. “ I wish you — all speed.”

Tryggr nodded, and flashed Eben a brief, distracted smile — and then he spun around and away, disappearing back into the chaos of the room. While Eben just stood there outside the door, blinking hard, as his stomach twisted with more sinking, staggering misery. This had been so, so pathetic. So foolish. What had he been thinking, to have ever imagined he could — well. Never trust a Skai . Never let one touch you, or get you alone…

The sickening vision of Skaap was now churning with all the rest, the lingering scent of his breath still far too strong in Eben’s nose, and he forced his shaky feet to move, away. Away , away, as far as he could go, as deep as he could go, where no Skai would ever find him again.