The Orc's Bidding: A Protective Hero, Enforced-Proximity Romance by Alana Khan

Author:Alana Khan [Khan, Alana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Temptation of the Horizontal LLC
Published: 2023-05-18T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Two

Larke

I’ve seen fights before. Brawls, really. I’ve been at celebrations in town where too much whiskey was passed around too freely and one thing led to another. Joe Cochran punched Samuel Zlots so hard I heard his cheekbone break from across the room.

I’ve never seen anything like this, though.

A couple of years ago, a dance troupe came to town. Their moves were smooth and choreographed. They moved swiftly, but were so coordinated they never stepped on each other's toes. Oricc and Jorg fight with an equal amount of beauty and grace. Brutal beauty and grace.

They start with straight knives that are about a foot long. One thrusts, the other avoids by either moving backward or lunging to parry.

“You’re getting slow.” I don’t know how Jorg can accuse Oricc of such a thing; my eyes can scarcely follow the action it’s so swift.

“I’m still faster than you. You’re getting lazy in your old age.”

I don’t dare look away because they’re moving to every corner of the room. It’s a marvel they avoid trampling me.

After long minutes of this, I wonder if they’ll ever tire, but if anything, they’re fighting faster now. Their feet never stop, and the noise of metal striking metal is wearing on my nerves.

“Now it’s time to pay you back for talking about how she smells and embarrassing my little human. Throw down your knife and fight me with your fists.”

Oricc’s choice of words wasn’t lost on his friend. My little human. It’s still echoing in the rock-walled room.

“She’s not yours till she scents of you. Everywhere.” Jorg tosses his knife to the floor where it clatters and skids to a stop against the far wall. “Mayhap she’s open to another suitor. Would you like a male who can last all night, Larke?”

Oricc shows his rage with a resounding bellow as he launches at his opponent and then crashes into him with bone-crushing force. This is nothing like what I saw in Summerville. If an orc hit a human with such force, he’d surely be dead.

“Stop!” I can’t bear any more of this. When I see Oricc’s bloody lips, I shout it. “Stop!”

Oricc stops just in time to receive a fist straight to his jaw. It’s so powerful he has to shake his head to get his brain working again.

I’m eyeing the row of knives Oricc laid on a cloth on the floor when we arrived. Just as I wonder which one I’ll grab to cut Jorg, Oricc grips his friend’s shoulders and pulls him in for a hug.

“We should do that more often.”

“Aye.” Jorg’s right eye is almost completely swollen shut.

Oricc tips his head back in a hearty laugh, but stops when he catches a glimpse of my face. I’m angry at how much they hurt each other and terrified they might have inflicted lasting damage.

“What’s wrong, Larke? Did one of us accidentally step on your toe? Did my blood splatter on you? I’m sorry.”

It takes my mind a moment to catch up to what just happened.

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