41. Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-One

Valpar

I gripped my sword tightly, feeling the cool metal against my palm. With a swift motion, I brought it down, slicing through the tangled vines. The sound of metal meeting vegetation echoed through the air, accompanied by the faint rustling of the retreating vines. The scent of damp earth and decaying leaves filled my nostrils as I continued my relentless assault. The witch's hiss pierced the noise of breaking of vines, branches and rustling of leaves, as she gestured to command the lifeless roots of the forest to encircle her.

I was immune to magic. She wouldn't dare throw a bolt of lightning, fire or whatever this nature witch could conjure. She could use items around her, and she was using sticks.

She obviously wasn't aware of my strength.

I kept my back turned to my female, feeling the weight of her presence around me. I could almost hear the soft sound of her breath reaching my ears. It caused a mix of emotions to stir within me. Her calming scent was tainted, soured from rotting vines and magic.

If I were to look at her, I know I would crumble. The burning rage inside me would consume every fiber of my being, clouding my judgment. I was a warrior, her protector and her male. Seeing her sadness, any cuts or bruises on her body would fuel my desire for more vengeance and wrath. I could not think with anger, I must strategically win this battle quickly so I may have my female in my arms once again.

"Valpar!" My miresa cried, and I balled my free hand into a fist

Creed's smoke had surrounded us, giving me the upper hand. We'd fought in the war—he knew how we orcs liked to fight.

Witches may have magic, but their eyesight is worthless unless they conjure something to deflect their enemies. Not that it would work on an orc.

"Stay female, you already have a hot ass coming to you later."

She gasped, and I heard her tiny little foot stomp. "I had to save Simon. He needed me!"

Didn't she know I needed her?

A root came behind me. I felt it before it struck and heard my female scream in panic. I smirked and dropped my sword, pulling on the root that tried to grip me by my waist. I ripped it from the soil, the tree pulling under the dirt. The witch was using all her strength to bend the tree, but her face contorting into anger and frustration made me huff out a laugh.

"No one touches what is mine," I snarled at the witch and took a step forward, pulling the tree with me. The dirt crumbled and the roots left trenches behind me. More and more limbs from above tried to pull me back.

I glanced over at my miresa. "And I don't care, Calliope, you are mine to protect. I would have saved him myself!"

Summoning every ounce of strength within me, I exerted an immense force, feeling the sinewy muscles in my arms and back strain. With a resounding crack, the tree wrenched from the earth as its roots violently tore apart. The sound of splintering wood echoed through the air, mingling with the gasp that escaped the witch's lips. In that moment, her widened eyes to reveal the realization that her control was slipping away, like sand through her fingertips.

"Orcs own the trees. You really thought that these twigs could hold me?"

With a thunderous roar, I gripped the towering tree, feeling the rough bark scrape against my calloused palms. The musky dirt scented forest filled my nostrils as I swung the massive trunk around and its weight propelled me forward. The air whistled past my ears, and more snapping vines and cracking branches continued. The impact reverberated through my bones as the defiant vegetation crumbled under the force of tree in my hands.

The witch stumbled backward, her power waning as she struggled to regain control over the chaotic nature around her. But was too late. I was unstoppable, fueled by the fury of protecting what was mine.

The witch had one hand in the air and the other in front of her. I grabbed the knife at my ankle ready to throw it straight at her forehead.

My miresa screamed and I darted my head round to see roots shoot out from the ground and pull her to her knees. The witch cackled as I turned and raced toward my female.

Creed crouched low on all fours, his sleek scales glistening under the light sources. With a swift movement, his muscular tail arced through the air, creating a whooshing sound as it cut through vines above her and toward the witch. The witch, surprised, lost her concentration dodging his attack.

My female struggled as I pulled her out of the roots that tried to pull her into the dirt. Seeing the red lines on her body brought new fire to my belly. "Don't move and stay with Creed."

Her eyes were glassy, her nose sniffled as I gave her ass I swat and pressed my lips to hers. "Now watch your male kill your enemy." She yipped in surprise and a smile pulled at her lips.

Creed settled his body above her, his tail wrapping around to keep my female protected. With a quick nod of thanks, I turned to see the witch recovering.

Creed could easily stomp over this witch, eat her whole but he knew the importance of showing strength to a mate. With a newfound determination, I channeled all of my power and yanked the tree out of the ground, roots tearing apart as it broke free. The witch's eyes widened in fear as she realized her control slipping away again. With a mighty roar, I swung the tree around like a weapon, knocking down the surrounding vines and branches that dared to challenge me.

The witch, desperate and enraged, gathers all her remaining power and unleashed a final, devastating bolt of magic. It streaked through the air, and for the briefest moment, the atmosphere trembled as the force of her wrath was unleashed. She was not strong, not like I had faced in years past, but it was many moons since I had faced any sort of magic like this.

My hand gripped the branch in my hand, ready to pierce it through the witch's heart. She stumbled, falling back on the very roots that tried to take me down, and stared at me wide-eyed.

"Wait, please hear me out!" She held up her hand in surrender, but I did not fall for the trick. The innocent look, the wide eyes; she was a witch and just like many before her, I would not hesitate for the kill.

I lifted the branch, taking the pointed end and drove it forward. Before I could drive it into her chest, her other hand came up, and the wood exploded. Thousands of splinters flew up into the air in the explosion. My vision obscured and I felt vines wrap around my legs and rip me from my feet.

"Valpar!" My female screamed.

I roared in protest. "Stay back!"

I heard the pattering of feet and instead of feeling panic for myself, because I knew I could take this witch, I worried about my female.

"Female—!"

A loud animalistic scream that did not sound of my miresa echoed in the air. Something jumped on my stomach and a white blur flew into the air. As my vision cleared, I saw Simon lowering his head and landing right on top of the witch, hitting her in the head.

The vines hovering over me and the roots that had grabbed me by the ankles all let go and fell into the dirt. The witch was knocked out cold, a large bump forming on her head. Simon let out a long yell and then tipped over, completely paralyzed and frozen.

"Simon!" Calliope screamed.

Creed had his tail wrapped around my female and I waved at him to let her go; I was ready to have her in my arms.

She ran toward me. I caught her as she was about to run past me. I growled and held her tightly to my body as I took her toward Simon and set her down in front of him. He was panting as his eye stared back at us.

"You saved me, Simon!"

I grunted and rolled my eyes. "Excuse me?"

Calliope turned to me and fluttered her lashes. "Yes, you did, too." She rubbed my leg. "Simon helped too, though."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I had her within my grasp. Can I not play with the enemy to show off my strength?"

Calliope turned her head. "Uh, huh, sure." She petted Simon as he woke.

This. Female.

I grabbed her shoulders to turn her to me while Simon stood up.

"Calliope, why did you leave the cave? What in the stars were you thinking? You could have been killed? You would have left me, and I have barely had you!" My voice became ragged and harsh as I spoke to her. I still couldn't believe she left me, and that she didn't trust I would have saved Simon. Did she not know I would do everything for her?

My female swallowed and grabbed my hand. Her thumb ran over the scrapes of my knuckles. "I'm so sorry, but… Karma said I wouldn't see Simon again if you came with me. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't risk it."

I would never understand her relationship with this goat, but she needed to try. "If I lost you, my little fairy, do you know what it would have done to me?" I pleaded with her. "I would have left this world to be with you. I cannot breathe without you. You are everything to me. My heart beats for you alone."

I could feel my female trembling as I held her. She was still struggling to understand my love for her. With a deep breath, I cupped her face between my hands and gazed into her eyes, trying to convey the intensity of these feelings.

"Calliope, listen to me. I would do anything, risk everything, for you. You are my everything, my reason for living. Next time—tell me what's happening. We figure things out together . You are not alone. I promised you I would find Simon and I meant it. I would have beaten, tortured, killed those two until they told me where Simon was to make you happy."

She bit on her bottom lip. "I didn't think about that."

I sighed heavily and pulled her to my chest. "Please don't go willingly, ever again. You fight, you scream. I will always rescue you, and Simon. Nothing will ever happen to my family."

Simon bleated and nudged my side.

"And Simon will save you." Calliope gazed up at me and beamed.

I rolled my eyes again. "I was fine, female. He just helped."

She hummed, unconvinced and petted Simon between the ears. "Who is a good baby goat, huh? Who is my good baby goat?"

Simon groaned and stretched out his neck. My little fairy continued to scratch, so I narrowed my eyes and pulled her hand away from him to put it in on my head. "I deserve scratches too," I told her.

She grinned and used both of her hands to give us equal head scratches.

I'm not jealous of a goat, I'm not.

Fuck, I am.

I wrapped my arm around her waist and held her close, then made her explain in detail what happened to her. From Ivy flying her here, to the bottle she had in her lap and the witch.

I was disappointed I wouldn't be killing the fairy, but I still had Karma I got to destroy. How both idiots came up with the idea of contacting a witch took far more effort I thought they would ever go to. Their brains were the size of peas, and they hated the sweetness of my mate so much they wanted to ruin her life?

I kept forgetting that some souls are just more evil that others. They just want to see others suffer for their own enjoyment. I'd never seen it until I knew the world of Bergarian. Perhaps that is why orcs stayed to themselves. The world was too messy to get involved with others—all we needed was our females.

I could not wait to get hold of Karma.

I could pluck out his wings and have him fermented in some orc ale. I'd drink the dissolved, glittery piece of shit he was straight down. I scrunched my nose up at that thought. He might make the ale too sweet.

A groan came from behind us, and I paused my little fairy's scratching. I stood, ready to finish the witch, but Creed's silent footsteps, despite his size, marked him already dragging the witch deeper into the wood. She groaned again. Creed's nose let out a billow of smoke and when he retreated further into the brush, I knew exactly what he was going to do.

"Valpar?" My sweet female began as I pulled her to standing.

I shook my head and pulled her into my arms so that I may carry her away. I did not need her to hear the witch's screams if she awoke while Creed finished her. Dragons love to eat witches. They absorb their power, even if that one was still young and not as powerful as the ones we had fought in the war.

I carried my miresa through the wood, and she pointed to where Ivy and Karma first took her, and I could see the white petals where Ivy was destroyed. I huffed in annoyance.

Ivy was dead and I was angry I did not get to torture her.

So far, I had killed none of her enemies.

Annoying.

Wings buzzed overhead and we both looked up into the branches. My little fairy's parents had arrived, as well as King Osirus, his mate and soldiers.

Her mother screamed and cried, peppering kisses over Calliope's face while she was still in my arms. It took Birch several minutes to pull her away.

I debriefed them about what happened. My little fairy stayed silent while I told them the story, keeping her face plastered to my chest. King Osirus' wings instantly darkened and his eyes glowed golden with fury. He began to give orders to go in search of the witch, but I held out my hand to stop them.

"I didn't even know Prinna had a daughter." King Osirus said. "As a child, I'm glad she survived the war, but am sad she still had the same beliefs as her mother, however."

She had a choice. This witch could have chosen a different path—but she didn't. She chose the darkness and tried to take a life. The witch deserved to die, even if it wasn't by my hand.

When do I get to kill again?

I placed a kiss on top of my little fairy's head and squeezed her tightly. She would never leave my side again. She shifted in my arms and gripped the potion in her hands. Her thick lashes fluttered, and she gazed over at her parents. She looked her mother up and down until her eyes settled on her stomach.

"Um, Mom, can I ask you a question?"