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Begrudgingly, Simon let me pull him into my lap as we sat beside Orthorr’s bed. It clearly took great restraint on Simon’s part not to start arguing when Orthorr pushed for some way for the clan to repay him. He was still surly after waking up alone. If I could have stayed in bed all morning with him, I would have. But Simon liked to sleep, and I would have gotten restless lyingin bed all day. I would need to find a better solution so that he did not wake up alone.

“What about a chance to travel?” Orthorr offered. I stiffened, frowning at him. I did not want him sending Simon away from me.

Simon narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What do you mean by that?”

“Uttin told me you knew many languages, including ours, before your arrival. It would make trade with towns easier if we had a translator present. When you are not working, you are free to explore the cities?—”

“Clan leader,” I protested. He shook his head to stop me.

“You would go with him. Your maman has spoken with me at great length about your hovering. She will not be without care in your absence, but you need to live for more than just her now. You have a bondmate to care for, too.”

I fell quiet, dropping my gaze. I knew my mother didn’t like my hovering, but she was the only parent I had left. I didn’t want to lose her.

Simon looked over his shoulder at me, then back to Orthorr. “Can I think about it?”

He nodded. “Do so. I will be here if you wish to discuss it more.”

With a nod, Simon stood, pulling me up with him. I let him lead me out of the healing tent and back to ours, grunting in surprise when he shoved me onto the bed. He dropped into my lap again, straddling me, and crossed his arms stubbornly over his chest.

“I’m not taking that job if it makes you unhappy. I’ll tell Orthorr to shove it up his ass. If you’re not ready to be apart from Maman, then he shouldn’t force you. That jerk.”

My breathing stuttered, and I reacted on impulse, yanking him to me for a frantic kiss. He groaned, kissing me back just asfiercely, and threw his arms around my neck. When we pulled apart, we were both breathing harshly, and I could feel his erection hard against mine.

“You are my other half. I don't care to know what I would do without you. Thank you, Simon.”

He tsked, his smile full of affection. “You need to stop thanking me. Choosing you was entirely selfish on my part. I didn’t want to let you go.”

Twenty-Three

SIMON

In the end, Feigrind agreed that I should take the opportunity Orthorr offered me. Part of it was because he didn’t want Maman to start hating him because he hovered too much. But it was also because after a little pestering on his part, I admitted that I liked the idea of doing a job I wouldn’t be judged for. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t ashamed of working in the brothel, but I liked the idea of earning my keep without getting on my knees. I only did that now for Feigrind.

And because I’d agreed to bond with Feigrind, he said I had to let go of my grudge against Finn. I couldn’t hate him for making it so I could be here because I got Feigrind and Maman out of it, and I wouldn’t take that back for anything. The brat in me wanted to keep it up just because he’d told me to stop, but I didn’t actually feel any animosity towards the man anymore. I understood now how he was swayed to stay. These barbarians with their magic dicks and their sweet talk were really hard to resist.

Of course, I didn’t think the clan would come after me about my hair.

“Absolutely not.”

“But—”

“No. I’m not shaving my hair. I don’t care if it’s the clan way or whatever. Come near my hair and I’ll cut you.”

And I definitely could. I still carried around the daggers Einar had given me. I was pretty sure Feigrind liked that I was always armed to protect myself. He was working to teach me hand-to-hand just in case, but it made us both feel better knowing no one could try anything stupid with me.

“No cutting people,” Patrick scolded. “We aren’t suggesting shaving as much as the barbarians. Just a tiny bit would mean a lot to Feigrind.”

I scoffed. Feigrind loved my hair as it was. A few days after the attack, he’d surprised me with all the products I missed— and now he couldn’t stop touching me. He liked my softness, including my hair. He also loved that I kept coloring it. Dyes didn’t last long in hair, but it wasn’t much effort to dye it every few days.

“He doesn’t have to,” Zoya said. She was still standoffish with me, but because I was being nicer to Finn, she put up with me. “None of the female tributes ever shave their hair. It’s not required that males do it. You two just did it to be cute.”

A frown pulled at my lips. I wasn’t a woman. I didn’t like being lumped in with them all because of a stupid haircut.

With a heavy, deeply unhappy sigh, I relented. “Fine. Only a tiny bit that can be easily hidden.”

“How about right here,” Finn suggested, circling a small section of hair by his temple and above his ear in demonstration.

I pursed my lips thoughtfully, then nodded. “I’ll accept that. But make it small enough that I can hide it if I want to.”