Bound to an Orc: A Monster Romance by Erin Rookwood

Author:Erin Rookwood [Rookwood, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-01-27T16:00:00+00:00

They left Ashnagh before noon.

This time Elodie was lent her own horse from the orcs’ stables, a sturdy dun mare that plodded along happily behind Thunderstride as they descended the mountain path. She was glad at this show of trust, even if it did mean she’d had to give in to Khormag’s offer of breeches, although she supposed it didn’t mean Khormag was completely sure she wouldn’t try to run. She doubted her horse could outrun Thunderstride if she did.

“Once we’re down in the valley we can follow the Whitebone River to the shore,” Khormag said once the path had widened and they could ride side-by-side. “We can be there by noon the day after tomorrow.”

“Do you think Loroth was right, about this being dangerous?” she said, shifting her pack on her back. She had no weapons, other than the meagre magical skills she’d mastered and a dagger Khormag had allowed her to tuck into her boot. She supposed it would be hard to hurt him with that, if she decided to turn on him.

Khormag snorted. “It is Loroth’s job to fret about those things. He is not an experienced warrior and cannot assess danger like I can. The worst we will encounter when we leave my lands are some scouts from the other clan, and they will flee when they realise who I am.” He turned to Elodie, and she could feel his gaze pulling at her even from across the gap between them, and for a moment she wished she could sit in front of him like before. She had been a prisoner then, yes, but she hadn’t felt so completely exposed to whatever might be lurking in the forest. “Whatever we encounter, I will protect you, Elodie. You have nothing to fear with an orc by your side.”

She swallowed, wishing desperately to believe him.

As they descended into the deep valley between mountains the trees closed in around them, blocking out most of the sunlight. The path narrowed as Khormag led them further into the forest. The air was thick with the smell of pine and she watched the dappled sunlight play on Khormag’s skin as his long braid swung in time with Thunderstride’s steps. The orc was back in his fur armour that left most of the green skin on his arms and chest exposed, and he was well-camouflaged among the trees.

“Do you know who left the box at the top of the mountain?” Elodie said after a while, just to break the silence. It wasn’t that the quiet was uncomfortable, but with no other sounds she couldn’t help but focus on every snapping of a twig beneath the horses’ hooves, analysing every time a bird stopped singing. She couldn’t help but think of the way all the birds had fallen silent back in that forest clearing, right before the eruption of chaos and death. The attack had seemed distant while she’d been surrounded by Ashnagh’s walls, but being out in the open made it feel fresh in her mind.

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