Of Blood and Duty

Chapter Twenty Seven • Hunting and Killing

*Very Long Chapter* 

-Loren- 

The rest of their watch went by rather uneventful. However, he got to see a whole new side of Mae when she finally let her walls down. They talked for hours on end about what had happened to Loren before she had found him that day. She seemed genuinely interested to hear about his life. When he had told her the stories of how Jade had tested a prince's patience to their very thin limits she had cried with laughter and been forced to cover her mouth to not give away their position. What she had found incredibly funny was when Jade had sneaked out of the castle and set panic into not only Loren but William as well, as well as the story of how she had tried to run away without knowing how to ride. To hear her laughter was something he could spend hours on hours at end on. When she truly laughed it was to get a peak in to the person she was hiding so fiercely from the world. 

At the crack of dawn, as they stood leaning against the railing, Tom and a very grumpy looking woman came to relieve them. Mae exchanged a couple of words with them, telling them what there was to report; nothing. 

I wonder if that woman is someone from her pack... He thought but was careful not to let his eyes linger. Did not want Mae to think he was ogling others when they had shared such an amazing night together. 

When Loren's feet finally met solid ground, he looked skyward mouthed out a soundless 'thank sweet heavens'. It felt like he could breathe again now.

A low chuckle erupted behind him. "I don't understand what is so bad with being up there." Mae said and winked at him discreetly. "You fucked just fine up there." She added in a whisper as she walked past him, leading the way to the hatch. 

"Just fine?" He laughed after her. "Is there something I missed?" 

I remember someone begging for more. Pushing her ass into my crotch. 

"Maybe I imagined it." He chuckled to himself. 

Just as Mae's hand found the handle of the hatch it shot up by someone exiting. Revealing a face that set Loren on fire within a split second. Ulf. Mae back away, stopping next to Loren. Both of them staring at him with darkness in their eyes. 

"Not so happy to see me, I can tell." He said and got out. No ropes around his wrists or ankles. He was not restrained in any thinkable way. No safety measures anywhere in sights. 

How is no one watching him? Loren growled internally. How is it that he is walking around without a guard? But I am not trusted to take a step outside the Hall without Mae watching me? He boiled as he studied Ulf. 

"Who the fuck brought you here?" Mae hissed. Grabbing a dagger from her belt. "You should be in that cell back home and nowhere else." In the same second as her sentence ended, her twin and father came out of the burrows. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Mae snapped at them instantly. "Who the fuck decided to bring him along?" Waving the dagger in her hand in Ulf's direction while her eyes were focused on the two of them. 

"Mine." Her father grunted at her. Watching the words 'are you dumb' take form in his daughter's eyes as she seemed beyond stunned that this had been his decision. Even Loren had a hard time believing it. "Have something you want off your chest, Mae?" 

"For what reason?" He joined in. Redirecting the attention from Mae to him by openly questioning Evor. It was risky, but bringing Ulf to a second location of the Guild's was just beyond comprehension to him. "Those men out there are his men." He reminded the chief in a  growl. "This..." He said pointing at Ulf. "...is more dangerous than letting me walk around freely. How did Karr approve of this?"