But in front of Malek…The thought warmed my face even more. There was something about his presence that left me exposed, certain he could see every one of my weaknesses without trying.
Finally, he nodded. "As you wish."
With one last intense look in my direction, he turned and left, leaving me alone.
I pulled off my top and skirt in a rush and left them on a smooth stone. I didn't hesitate before stepping into the cold water. The shock against my warm body was invigorating.
I rubbed the ingyl leaf over my arms, shoulders, and legs, spreading the fresh sap over my skin. The scent wafted through the air as I washed my hair, watching the dirt of the last few days wash away with the current.
I stayed in the water until my fingers wrinkled, letting the weight of the day, the curse, and the training dissipate. When I finally surfaced, the sun was already slipping behind the trees, tinting everything gold. The cold reached me all at once, sending shivers racing over my arms. I stepped out of the water onto the shore, ready to face the rags I called clothes once again, but then something gave me pause. Beside them, folded carefully, lay a change of clean clothes.
A simple top of thick linen and a dark red loincloth—hardly modest, similar to what I’d seen other orc women wearing; two long rectangular strips covered the front and back, leaving the sides open for movement.
My chest tightened as I recognized Malek’s scent clinging to the fabric. He had brought me clothes without my even asking, a simple, unexpectedly thoughtful gesture that disarmed me more than anything else he had done.
Shaking my head, I got dressed quickly. The loincloth was much shorter than any skirt I had ever worn, but the thick fabric was sturdy. My lean body fit perfectly into the orc attire, even though the black linen of the top barely covered my breasts.
A sense of freedom and practicality soon replaced the discomfort of wearing so little clothing. Without the weight of a long dress, I felt lighter and more agile—more orc.
I followed the path back to the village, feeling content for the first time since I had to flee Ceilte. When I reached the bonfire, my eyes immediately searched for Malek. He occupied his usual place by the fire, eating his portion of kurark. However, this time he wasn’t alone.
An orc female with flushed cheeks and hair shaved at the sides sat beside him, smiling in an openly seductive way as she offered him a piece of roasted meat. Malek didn't accept it, nor did he even spare her a glance.
I hadn’t seen her before. Her skin was a lighter shade of green than Malek’s, her lips full, her body defined by curves and toned muscles that the orc clothing could barely contain. When she leaned closer to him to whisper something in his ear, a strange knot formed inside me, completely unexpected.
It wasn’t anger. Not exactly. It was a possessive discomfort that took root deep in my chest and spread before I could stop it. A strange, almost territorial impulse, as if that proximity were wrong, and she was overstepping a boundary with the male.
Malek shook his head in refusal, but that didn't ease the sensation. My gaze remained fixed on her hand, on the far-too-small space between their bodies, and I realized with growing unease that something deep inside me reacted as if what was mine were being threatened.
The thought terrified me. I had no right to the Ruk’hai whatsoever. By the Goddesses, he didn't even know my true identity, and we were, for all intents and purposes, from different species. He was my enemy.
I swallowed hard, trying to understand when this feeling had taken root in me and why.
At that moment, Malek finally noticed me. His gaze swept over my body from head to toe, lingering on my legs a second longer than necessary before climbing back up. Heat surged through my body, betraying me. I squared my shoulders on instinct, feigning indifference even as my heart raced for no clear reason.
The orc beside him noticed the shift immediately. Sensing his attention drift away, she turned to face me, curious, sizing me up. I nodded to Malek out of politeness, but I didn't stick around to watch him flirt with her. I served myself some kurark at the bonfire and sat on the ground beside Kalisha.
Her brown eyes swept over my new clothes, which were much more in line with the orc style of dress.
"Malek gave you those?" she asked, point-blank.
"Yes," I replied, eating a piece of roasted meat.
"Guk," she said.
Kalisha didn't ask any more questions, which was a relief. I was already bracing for a flood of inquiries, but she simply went back to eating as if nothing were noteworthy. After a while, I couldn’t help it. My gaze drifted to Malek and the female. She was talking animatedly, still too close for comfort, one hand resting on his arm with familiarity.
"Who’s she?" I asked Kalisha in Okshakai, gesturing toward their general direction with my head.
Kalisha stared at me, surprised that I used her mother language, before following the direction of my gaze. "Ni’kira. She is a hunter. And she wants rikruk’n with the Ruk’hai."
"Rikruk’n?"
"Kar. To mate. Malek needs a wife. To have ashkem."
Ashkem. Cubs. Of course. He was the leader; he had to ensure the continuity of his lineage.
“And does she have a chance?” I asked, trying to sound indifferent, though my curiosity showed more than I would have liked.
