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A murmur of disbelief ripples through the crowd. Some orcs still cower, half-expecting another quake. Others tentatively rise, exchanging astonished glances. Gaurbod remains crouched near the dais’s edge, trembling, the spear lost at his feet. The expression on his face is one of raw terror.

“You see?” I bellow, voice shaking but resolute. “The War God has decided. This woman is not our curse!”

A wave of relief crashes over me as I turn, grasping Lirienne’s hands. She stares up at me, tears flowing freely. I press mybrow to hers, ignoring the gawking orcs, ignoring Gaurbod’s trembling. My chest feels light and heavy all at once—a swirl of gratitude, shock, and triumph.

“You… you did it,” she whispers, voice thick.

“We did,” I correct, struggling to keep tears from my own eyes. The raw hum of divine power still resonates in my bones, the War God’s acceptance reverberating through the temple.

In the hush that follows, Karzug and a few loyal warriors advance, surrounding Gaurbod’s ragged group. Harzug pins one of Gaurbod’s men to the ground, growling demands for surrender. The traitor orcs, their bravado shattered by the War God’s dramatic intervention, stare at the dais in fear.

Gaurbod himself crouches, gaze flicking wildly between me and the dais’s smoldering runes. His chest heaves. “This… can’t be,” he rasps, voice hollow.

Karzug steps forward, weapon raised. “You orchestrated sabotage, Gaurbod. Killed our youth, fouled our cistern. You’ve condemned yourself.”

The orcs who once stood behind Gaurbod now hesitate, some dropping their weapons. They realize the War God has undone the sabotage’s purpose—clearly, the deity has not condemned Lirienne, but saved her.

“You played on the clan’s fears,” I say harshly, stepping closer to Gaurbod. My side aches from the earlier wound, but I hold my posture firm, Lirienne at my back. “You dared to stage omens, cost lives, just to seize power.”

He swallows, eyes darting in search of an escape. “I… I did what was necessary. The clan needed a pure bloodline, no human bride. But… the War God…” He trails off, voice quavering in disbelief.

“He does not stand with murderers,” I spit. “You can spew your lies, but the War God’s temple just intervened. And if that isn’t enough proof, we have your own confession.”

An anguished roar tears from Gaurbod’s throat. He lunges, not at me but at the dais’s center, as if aiming to disrupt the runes. Karzug intercepts, bashing the hilt of his sword against Gaurbod’s head. The blow sends my cousin sprawling, unconscious or nearly so.

The chamber falls silent again, except for the heavy breathing of orcs and the soft hiss of dying flames. My heart pounds. Gaurbod is defeated, the War God’s verdict is clear. Is this truly the end of the clan’s turmoil?

One by one, orcs sink to their knees or bow heads, grappling with the magnitude of what they’ve just witnessed. Drahn the priest approaches the dais, trembling with reverence. “Chieftain Ghorzag,” he says hoarsely, “the War God has spared you both. It seems… he accepts her.”

A tension I hadn’t realized was choking me finally eases. I take a shaky breath, turning to Lirienne. She gazes at me with shining eyes, tears welling. Slowly, I gather her into my arms, ignoring the watchful stares. Let them see that the War God himself had no objection.

“Is it over?” she whispers, voice so faint only I can hear.

I press my cheek to her hair, allowing myself a moment’s solace. “I hope so,” I manage. “We still have to lead the clan through the aftermath, but… yes, we’ve survived the War God’s judgment.”

Karzug approaches, saluting. “Chieftain, what do you wish to do with Gaurbod and his men?”

My gaze flicks to my cousin’s prone form, pity and anger mingling in my gut. He betrayed us for power, yet the War God gave him no favor. “Bind him,” I order quietly. “And those who willingly aided his sabotage. We’ll see them judged by clan law.”

Several warriors hurry to comply, cuffing Gaurbod’s wrists with iron manacles. The priests hover, uncertain if the War God demands further blood. But the runes on the floor have dimmedto a soft glow, as though the temple is at peace now that the sacrifice has been averted.

I survey the temple dais. Orcs part in a wide circle around us, letting Lirienne and me remain at the center—where the War God’s verdict literally shook the stone. A hush falls, broken only by the crackle of residual flames.

“Hear me,” I declare, voice echoing in the grand chamber. “The War God has answered. He did not strike down my bride. He saved her. She is not cursed!”

A ripple of agreement spreads through the onlookers. Some bow their heads in relief; others stand blinking in awe. Gaurbod’s men, or those who had been swayed by him, look stricken, as if the foundation of their beliefs has crumbled.

Drahn the priest approaches the dais, staff scraping the stone. “Chieftain,” he says, voice subdued, “forgive us. We were blind to the sabotage, quick to blame outside forces.” His regret seems genuine, mirrored in the eyes of the other priests.

I incline my head, the anger in me slowly fading to weary acceptance. “You were swayed by cunning illusions and fear. The War God has revealed the truth. May we move forward from here.”

Lirienne’s trembling subsides somewhat, though her grip on my arm remains tight. She gazes at me with a mixture of relief and raw gratitude. She knows how close we came to losing everything.

I turn to her, heart full. The clan rings us, silent. “I meant what I said,” I murmur, quiet enough that only she can hear. “If the War God demanded blood, I would have given mine freely rather than see you harmed.”

Her eyes shine with tears. “Thank the gods… it didn’t come to that.”

We press our foreheads together in a brief, tender gesture. My chest burns with affection for this human woman who hasrisked so much to stand among orcs. If not for the War God’s sign, she might have died by Gaurbod’s spear. The memory makes me shudder.