“The only thing that saved them from extinction, after all they’d done, was that they were the key to our survival,” King Lix’tuk murmurs.
King Lix’tuk gives a speech. This one is in the human tongue, so he must be speaking to everyone. I’ve never seen this speech before, so I lean closer.
“Today, we close the history books on The Great War, but the atrocities committed will never be forgotten,” he proclaims.
He outlines the terms of the treaty. Orcs will provide food and heal the soil they ruined to force the humans into ending the war. Humans will provide women to ensure that orcs and wolf shifters do not go extinct. There’s no mention of orcs buying human women. No mention of the auction.
After some words in orcish I can’t understand, the movie shows humans arriving in Uzrirgard. None are whipped. None are abused. They’re shown bringing happiness to orc families, givingbirth to babies that are placed in the arms of a woman who lost her fertility during The Great War. I think it’s supposed to be ahappyending.
“Damn,” I say as the movie ends and words appear on the screen.
“It makes us look a lot better than we were,” he growls. “Like all propaganda.”
“If even half of it was true, then I understand why you hate humans,” I admit, shaking my head. “But I promise we’re not all bad.”
“Maybe one day I’ll meet a human who makes me believe that,” he rumbles, standing up. “I’m going to bed. You can take a bath first if you want.”
“Probably a good idea,” I say, realizing I’m a little unsteady from the drink.
King Lix’tuk leaves the theater. The screen goes dark and the artificial torches light up. I gather his empty bottles and what’s left of my drink so I can dispose of them.
History is a lot more complicated than I realized.
So is King Lix’tuk.
CHAPTER 14
Clover
I take a long shower, thinking about everything, letting the warm water run down my body for quite a while before I finally turn it off.
I guess I’m getting used to wasting water. After my shower, I wrap myself up in a robe and walk down the hallway toward King Lix’tuk’s bedchamber.
He hasn’t turned out the lights yet. I hope that doesn’t mean I’ve kept him up waiting for me. I’m not sure why he would be.
As I get closer to the door, I feel a slight tingle between my legs. My body remembers what happened before I went to bed last night. The spanking hurt, but what he did after more than made up for it. I’ve never climaxed that hard. I didn’t even realize I could.
The door opens and King Lix’tuk is seated on the edge of the bed, just like he was last night, wearing a loincloth. There are two empty bottles of grog on the floor beside him and he’s holdinga third. He’s still drinking. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t gone to sleep yet.
“Couldn’t find anything better to put on than a bathrobe?” he asks, sipping his grog.
“Um, I… I thought this is what I’m supposed to wear,” I reply hesitantly.
“I had your clothes put in the room next to the bathroom,” he growls. “Thought you’d find them.”
“Oh!” I say, my eyes widening. “I didn’t look in there, I’m sorry. I thought we were still waiting on them to arrive.”
“No, I’m the king. I don’t wait for anything. She sent more than just clothes,” he rumbles, then gestures to a burlap bag next to his feet. “But I suppose the bathrobe is fine for tonight. You can put it in the pile over there and lay across my lap.”
“You’re going to spank me again?” I swallow hard and look down. “But I already got my Reparations Penalty.”
“That penalty is paid, little human girl. Need I remind you that you spat coffee all over me this morning? I know you didn’t do it intentionally, but you’re still going to get a spanking for it,” he growls, patting his enormous thigh. “It’ll help you remember to be more careful in the future. After that, you get to see what’s in the bag.”
I hesitate, watching as he gestures for me to disrobe and downs the rest of his grog. My bottom twitches, followed by another twitch in my core that doesn’t horrify me as much as it did earlier. I look at the bag nervously, wondering what could be in it.
My fingers move to the knot holding my bathrobe in place and I just let it fall to the floor. I kick it toward the pile, preserving some modesty with my hands. I don’t need the cool breeze to know I’m wet.
As I shuffle toward his waiting lap, I notice his loincloth is tented. The sight of that sends a drop of arousal down my inner thigh. I press them together to hide it as he reaches for me. I don’t fight him at all. I let him pull me into his lap. This time, he positions medirectlyagainst the bulge in his loincloth. I feel a twitch against my hip, then his hand settles heavily on my back. I’m not going anywhere.
