Page 36

The first pale rays of dawn find me in the fortress courtyard, leaning against a stone parapet as I survey the waking clan below. A gentle wind tugs at the beads woven into my hair, creating a softclink-clinkthat somehow underlines the tension coiling in my chest. Sleep has been elusive these last few nights—no surprise, given the rising calls for Lirienne’s exile and the unrelenting sabotage that continues to plague us.

From where I stand, I can see the main gates, guarded by two grim-faced warriors who look about as tired as I feel. Beyond them, the horizon glimmers in hues of orange and pink, heralding a new day that will likely bring more conflict.We can’t go on like this, I tell myself, pressing a palm against the cool stone.We need answers.

A figure approaches from behind. I turn to see Karzug moving with purposeful strides. His face is drawn, the lines around his eyes deeper than I remember. He’s been up nearly as long as I have—hours spent combing through reports of suspicious activity, trying to pinpoint the saboteur. When he reaches me, he inclines his head in a curt greeting.

“You called for a meeting at first light,” Karzug says, voice low enough that it won’t carry. “Shall we gather the advisors now?”

I nod. “Yes. Best not delay. We have too many issues demanding immediate attention.” I hesitate, gaze drifting toward the fortress’s interior. “Make sure only those loyal to me are present.”

Karzug’s brow furrows. “You suspect infiltration among our own ranks?”

I exhale slowly. “I do. Some orcs fear the War God’s wrath so blindly, they’ll do anything to rid us of Lirienne. And Gaurbod…” My jaw flexes. “He stirs that fear for his own gain.”

Karzug lowers his voice. “We both know Gaurbod’s been restless ever since you took up leadership. But to encourage sabotage… it would be a step too far.”

“Desperate orcs do desperate things,” I mutter. “He might not be the saboteur himself, but I’m certain he’s fueling the hostility—and that’s bad enough.” Pressing off the parapet, I jerk my head toward the fortress’s main hall. “Come. Let’s not keep the others waiting.”

We convene in a small chamber off the main hall, a place normally used for storing ceremonial weapons. I’ve had a few torches lit, casting wavering shadows on the bare stone walls. A round wooden table takes center stage, scattered with maps, bits of parchment scrawled with notes, and a few half-burned candles. The air smells faintly of tallow and old steel.

My closest advisors trickle in one by one. There’s Karzug, of course, standing near the door. Then Ragzuk—technically the shaman’s apprentice, but in practice often the clan’s primary spiritual counsel. Next come Harzug and Vardu, two seasoned warriors who fought alongside my father. Both men are fiercely loyal to the clan, though they eye Lirienne’s presence with caution. Finally, a handful of orc watchers, younger butdependable, crowd the edges, ready to relay any intelligence gleaned from nightly patrols.

I wait until they all stand in a tight circle around the table before speaking. “Thank you for coming,” I begin quietly, letting my gaze sweep across them. “We’re here because we face a crisis. The orchard floods, the livestock poisoning, the fouled cistern. We suspect sabotage—someone is orchestrating these disasters.”

Ragzuk nods, arms folded inside his worn robes. “There can be no doubt now, Chieftain. Too many unnatural events in too short a time.”

Harzug’s scarred brow furrows. “So it isn’t the War God punishing us?”

I take a measured breath. “No. Or if it is, then a mortal agent is helping the War God’s wrath along.” A murmur ripples through the group—some incredulous, others grimly accepting. I continue, voice harder, “But until we prove it’s sabotage, half the clan still clings to the idea that Lirienne is behind our woes.”

Vardu shakes his head in frustration. “They see how you protect her. Many suspect bewitchment.”

Anger flares hot in my chest. “She’s done nothing except heal our warriors, help in the kitchens, and try to earn her place. If the clan chooses to see curses instead of facts, I’ll not stand by it. But rumor is a powerful foe.”

Karzug clears his throat. “Which is why we must find concrete proof. We’ve stepped up patrols around the fortress perimeter, doubled the watch near the cistern and orchard. Yet no one’s caught anyone red-handed. It’s as if the saboteur knows our movements.”

A hush follows, the weight of that implication sinking in. Perhaps our traitor works within these very walls—someone with enough cunning to evade detection.

Ragzuk regards me thoughtfully. “Even so, we can’t wait forever. The clan grows restless, demanding a sign from the War God. The elders speak of a?—”

He pauses, but I finish the sentence for him. “A sacred pilgrimage toward the sacred altar of the War God.” My voice tastes bitter. I’ve been dreading this moment. The War God’s priests mentioned it in passing before. Now, the demands are deafening.

A grim nod from Ragzuk. “Yes. They want you to petition the War God directly for clarity or blessing. They claim only then will the clan know if Lirienne truly curses us.”

Harzug spits on the ground, dissatisfaction etched into every line of his face. “I hate it. Bowing to superstition at a time like this. But the elders have a powerful voice.”

Vardu rumbles agreement. “If the clan demands it and we refuse, many might side with Gaurbod, believing we defy the War God’s will. We risk civil strife.”

I close my eyes momentarily, the flicker of torchlight dancing behind my lids.So it’s come to this.“We must go, then,” I say. “If a pilgrimage is the only way to quell rumors of the War God’s wrath… I’ll do it.”

Karzug exhales, relief and worry mingled. “And Lirienne?”

Tension coils. “She must come with me.” A murmur of shock ripples around the circle. I lift a hand to forestall objections. “If this is truly about proving or disproving her presence as a curse, she must stand before the War God too.”

Harzug frowns deeply. “That journey is fraught with dangers—bandits, wild beasts, not to mention potential interference from dark elves if they catch wind. You want to bring a human on that trek?”

I hold his stare. “We have no choice. The clan demands the War God’s verdict on us, not just me. Lirienne’s part of the alliance. If we leave her behind, we prove nothing.”

Silence follows, tense as a coiled spring. Ragzuk eventually speaks, voice subdued. “The temple is a week’s travel into the mountain passes. We’ll need supplies, skilled warriors to defend against ambush. And, if we’re being honest, your cousin Gaurbod might attempt to use the pilgrimage for his own ends.”