"How did you get out here, Lady Iolanthe?" the second, more skeptical one asks.
I lower my voice, pretending to be terrified. Actually, I'm not pretending. Somewhere out in these dark woods is my sweet Agakor. If these men find him, they're going to attack him. There could be more of my father's men out here, too. He's in danger, and I have to somehow fix this. "They're hunting me," I mock-whisper. "It's an orkish wedding tradition. He's going to find me and club me over the head. Why do you think I'm so panicked?"
Their eyes widen and they exchange another look. "I wish we could bring you with us, Lady Iolanthe," one begins, regret clear in his tone. "It's just…we have a mission…"
"Please," I weep, trying to be as pitiful as possible. I fall to the ground, letting the cloak settle around me. As it does, I feel along the dirt, searching for something to use as a weapon. I need a fist-sized rock, or something with heft. When my searching fingers clamp around a branch, as thick as my wrist, I slide it under my cloak and get to my feet again. "Please, you can't leave me here."
"My lady…"
There's a crash in the bushes nearby, and both men immediately turn away from me, their gazes locked on the dark woods. One draws his sword and takes a step forward.
I raise the branch high above my head and slam it down on the back of his skull as hard as I can. The crack is enormous, and the branch splinters in my grip. A split second later, Agakor emerges from the woods and clubs the other man over the head.
When they're both at our feet, he looks at me, panting. The half-orc is gorgeous in the pale moonlight, deadly and protective all at once. "Did they hurt you, Iolanthe? Tell me and I'll snap their necks."
I manage to shake my head. "I'm okay," I breathe. And then I point at the man collapsed at his feet. "But I think you just married that one."
He stares at me for a long moment. Then, he breaks into laughter, and it's the sweetest sound I've ever heard.
CHAPTER 18
AGAKOR
I've never felt so frightened in my life as I was in those moments Iolanthe was with her father's soldiers.
At first, I was terrified for her life. I'd been not far behind her, and when the one soldier caught her around the waist and she screamed, I swear I aged twenty years in that moment. It took everything I had not to attack. I couldn't be certain that they wouldn't hurt her or use her as a shield against me. I needed to think. I needed to keep the advantage of the shadows.
And then, Iolanthe had started to cry and beg them to take her back to her father. She'd cried so earnestly and so pitifully that a new ache overtook me. Was this real? Had she been pretending all along to be eager to marry me? The thought made my heart feel as if it was made of ash. To think that all those moments we'd stolen together, her eager kisses, her sweet laughter, as all lies...
But then she clubbed one of the men over the head, and I felt like I could breathe again.
A short time later, I have both men bound and gagged. I grab each one by a fistful of his clothing and drag him behind me as Iolanthe trots at my side, a worried expression on her pretty face as we head back to my father's men. I'm angry. Angry that these fools are on my land. Angry that Iolanthe's father is such a woale-turd of a man.
Angry that yet another wedding ceremony has been interrupted. Do the gods hate me? Am I never going to claim Iolanthe as mine? My balls are going to permanently ache at this rate.
Mudag isn't surprised when I show up with the two soldiers in tow. I toss them at his feet, disgusted at how this night is going. "We need information from them. What they're doing on my land, what Lord Purnav’s plans are. What they plan for my bride."
My father grunts, hands on hips. He lifts his chin, looking at me and Iolanthe. "You finish your capture-games?"
"No," I say, annoyed. I was busy protecting my bride-to-be.
"Night's half over," he tells me, looking over at Iolanthe. "She doesn't look like she's been clubbed."
"I have not been," my helpful bride agrees. She dusts off her clothes and tosses her hair back. "Should we get going, then, Agakor?"
Not much takes me by surprise, but this female does. I gape at her for a moment. "You…you want to continue?"
Iolanthe's brows furrow. "This has to be done on a full moon, does it not?" She points up at the sky hidden behind the trees. "Full moon. We're already out here. Might as well keep going."