Page 68 of The Savage Vow
“You cannot be serious.”
“I’m dead serious. My mate has been taken. Do you truly think that I would leave her?”
“And you think charging along into whatever traps they will lay for you is wise?” Makhel shot back.
“I think…” Nargol dropped her voice into something dangerously calm. She knew exactly what she was going to do. She was a trained warrior. Better than any of the ones who pledged themselves to Cardu or Grat and Hagu. Makhel did not need to worry about her. “That every moment we waste riding to Udenia is a moment too long for Orlena to be in the enemy’s hands.”
Nargol closed the gap between them. There was nothing this orc—her friend—would be able to do to keep her from going after Orlena.
Makhel was sadly mistaken if she thought she would be able to convince Nargol otherwise.
Makhel searched her face then—and whatever she saw made her expression shift from curiosity to alarm.
“You have that look in your eye.” Makhel sighed.
“What look?” Nargol arched an eyebrow.
“The one you get before you go and do something reckless and violent.”
Nargol didn’t deny it. Her friend knew her only too well. Was what she was planning considered reckless? Possibly. Was the violence needed? Most definitely.
Sometimes, the only way to get a point across was with violence. These orcs they were dealing with, that was going to be the only way they were going to understand one thing.
Don’t feck with the Cydassis.
“Listen to me,” Makhel dragged her fingers through her hair. “We know who is behind this. We have a list of names we will take to your father. Now we know that the trolls are involved, we have to bring backup. If Rujin is coming, going after your mate isn’t a rescue mission. It would be suicidal.”
“I’m aware of exactly what it means,” Nargol hissed.
“Then act like a warrior and know that you need more warriors with you. This isn’t something you can do alone.”
“Then you need to leave now.” Nargol didn’t mince her words.
She was not leaving her mate at the hands of those orcs. If Makhel wanted to bring backup, then she’d better hurry. Nargol was not going to sit around and allow those orcs to do whatever they damn well pleased with Orlena.
“You are going to get yourself killed. Then where will that leave your woman?” Makhel snapped.
It was easy to see the warrior was getting pissed off at Nargol.
Good, then if she doesn’t want anything to happen to her, she will ride swiftly back to Udenia.
“If Yambul wants to align with Rujin, what better offering than a human tied to an orc warrior with noble lineage? My family’s lineage. You know the history between Rujin and my family.”
Makhel paled. She swallowed hard. It was a known fact that there was no love lost between the orcs and trolls and even less between Tulak and Rujin.
“You think they will trade her to Rujin?”
“I know he will,” Nargol snarled. She hated everything about the way that orc treated her mate. Orlena worked seven days a week for that male who didn’t even appreciate what she’d done for him. She was nothing better than a?—
Nargol couldn’t even bring herself to think of the word.
“Then all the more reason for us to go and gather an army!”
“And leave her there?” Nargol’s voice was sharp as a blade. “Bound. Afraid? Waiting for a fate that would be worse than death while I ride in the opposite direction? I will not abandon her!”
Makhel flinched. “You will not be?—”
“I am not going to stand here and argue with you. We do not have time. My mate does not have time.” Nargol’s chest heaved once, then steadied as she breathed out slowly, trying to get control of her emotions. “The larger threat remains. If Rujin comes to Aghon, someone must remain here. Someone must watch. Track. Prepare. Stop him.”
