Page 16 of Loved by the Orc (Hidden Hollow #4)

15

HARMONY

“ H ow did you know where to find me?” I asked, when I had finished crying. Because yes, I shed some tears—I’d just been through a near-death experience and it wasn’t quite over yet. Not until I got the damn golden arm off of my neck. It felt like some grisly necklace and it was extremely heavy lying on my chest and abdomen as it was.

“I had a feeling about an hour ago that something wasn’t right with you,” Tark rumbled, looking down at me. He had carried me through the whole building, going down several flights of stairs since there was no power and the elevator didn’t work. It gave me a whole new appreciation of his strength because I swear the damn golden arm weighed as much as I did!

“You…had a feeling? But why?” I asked, looking up at him.

“Dunno.” He shrugged. “Maybe because of your magic coming out while I was, you know, making you come. It formed some kind of connection between us. Anyway, I just knew you were in trouble. I went to Goodie Albright right away and asked her to make me a finding spell and then draw a door. She was able to get me in the same basic area as you—I just didn’t know which apartment you were in until I heard you shouting.”

“I’m so glad you came for me!” I nuzzled my cheek against him—as well as I could with the damn arm in the way. “He would have killed me otherwise!”

“I don’t think so—you nearly killed him yourself before I swung my axe,” he objected. “That’s some powerful magic you’ve got there, Babygirl.”

“I don’t even know what it is,” I admitted, looking down at the arm again. “It just happened when he tried to hurt me.”

“Looks to me like he did hurt you.” Tark frowned at my ripped blouse and the scratches on my shoulder and cheek. “I should have gotten to you sooner.”

“The fact that you were able to tell I was in trouble and come at all is amazing,” I told him. “I’ll heal—I just have to get this horrible arm off me!”

“I think maybe Madam Healer can help with that. Or if not, we’ll ask Goodie Albright. Somebody must have a spell or a potion that will do the trick. And look—here we are.”

He carried me outside as he talked and I saw a magic door, standing in the overgrown parking lot just outside the abandoned apartment building.

“Thank God!” I said fervently.

“No, thank the Goddess,” Tark corrected me. “It’s her power that makes Hidden Hollow and all the Creatures that live there possible. But we can talk about that later. For now, let’s get you out of here.”

And then, much to my relief, he carried me out of the Mortal Realm and back to Hidden Hollow.