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Chapter Three

Susara

F ades help me! I knew I was being a complete idiot. I knew that. And yet my stupid words were coming out all panicked. I’d almost died just now. Died!

But this orc had saved me. This warrior orc. The kind that my whole town was saying would plunder me and force me to carry his son if I let him get too close.

Instead, the huge, sharp-tusked male was looking at me like I’d just asked to rip his arms off and roast them for breakfast.

“Not to eat!” I said quickly and his eyes widened all the more. “Don’t worry, I need them to still be attached to your body. I don’t want to eat them. I don’t eat people—er, or orcs. ”

“I’ve saved you.” He wiggled in my grip, but not enough to make me let go. He could have pulled away if he wanted. His muscles were huge. His bicep looked like it was as big around as my whole head. “You asked for help, and I gave it. I’m going now.”

“Oh, please, please, I just need a little more help! My Midnight needs saving too!” I tightened my hold on his hand. His skin was so soft. I wouldn’t have expected that, judging from how many scars he had. I couldn’t feel any callouses at all.

“Your what?” His brow furrowed, and honestly, he would have looked adorable had I not been so panicked about my sheep. “It’s sunset, woman.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. My sheep. My sheep is named Midnight. Her foot is caught and she’s hanging. She’s going to fall if you don’t come .” I tried to tug him over, but I may as well have been tugging one of the boulders.

“There’s a sheep down there?” He looked like the perfect combination of aghast and disbelief. As if on cue, Midnight let out a bleat that echoed up from the dark void and pierced right through my heart.

“I’m sorry, Midnight! We’ll get you out. I promise,” I shouted, hoping the rocks her foot was stuck between would hold. The orc was looking at me like I’d grown two heads. “I know I should have mentioned her being stuck first. I’m just all scrambled up.”

I still had his hand in mine, and I gave him another quick pull. This time, he took a hesitant step forward before stopping again.

“Why are you out here, alone, with a sheep ?”

Of all the questions! “I’m a shepherdess! Look, here’s my crook!” I picked the stick up off the ground where I’d left it and the orc’s brow knitted up. “I swear this is actually my crook and not a random stick I just picked up off the ground to convince you.”

“You are a shepherdess of a single sheep?”

Oh, for the love of— “My sheep are right there! Grazing all over that clover.”

His brows rose as he looked down and spied my happily munching flock.

“You can try to tell me you didn’t see them, but don’t you dare pretend like you didn’t smell them. I know how good orc’s sense of smell is. ”

“Maybe I would have smelled them if your delicious scent wasn’t covering everything up . ”

With that, his mouth shut so tight around his sharp teeth I wondered if he’d cut himself, and his cheeks turned such a dark shade of green, I could have sworn they were trying to rival the ever-blackening sky.

So, he liked how I smelled? I could work with that! “Look here, if you save my sheep, I will give you the best hug you’ve ever had in your life.”

“You’ll. . . give me what ?” His voice had gone high with shock.

“Then you’ll smell like me! Why is that so odd? You just said you liked how I smelled.”

He exhaled sharply. “You could just give me your clothes; they smell like you.”

I supposed he was right. “It’s a little cold to be going around without my overdress, but for Midnight, I’ll do it.”

“No, that’s not—I didn’t mean to say that. ”

“I’ll let you say anything you want without judgment if you just save Midnight .” I pulled at him again, and finally, finally , he followed me over to the edge of the crevasse.

He stayed a good distance back as he peered into the darkness, only to sag with relief. “Well, fuck, there really is a sheep in there.”

“You thought I was lying?” I couldn’t decide if I was more insulted or amused.

He shrugged and kneeled to get a better look. “Been lured by more ridiculous things than this.”

“Lured by. . . you thought I was setting a trap? Honestly? Who would use rescuing a sheep as a trap?”

He raised a brow at me and then continued to examine the predicament my sheep was in.

“Do you need light?” I picked up my lantern and matches. I relit the flame with shaking fingers. “How is she? Is she slipping? Fades, please tell me you can reach—”

“She’s fine. She’s not going anywhere.” His voice was low and calm.

“Really? She’s really all right?”

“Her foot is stuck tight between the rocks. I think she’s eating.” He moved to get down on his stomach. “I’m going to try to reach her.”

“Hold on, Midnight,” I called. “This nice orc is going to save you.”

He shot me another odd look and then reached down into the darkness. A loud crack sounded, and I yipped with fear.

“Be calm.” His voice was a low rumble that somehow managed to soothe away my panic. “I just broke the rock holding her. She’s fine. I have her in a firm grip.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you!” I held my breath, wrung my hands, and prayed to the Fades who’d made me that in a moment, he would pull her up, and everything would be right with the world again.

“Fuck! Let go!”

“What?” I hurried over to his side and looked down into the darkness, but the crevasse was so slender and his body took up all the visible space. “What’s going on? Do you have her?”

“I have her. She just won’t let go!”

“Won’t let go?”

“She’s eating something. Some sort of root or . . . Fades, blast it all, stop kicking me .”

“Midnight, you naughty thing!” It would be just like her to be so ruled by her stomach that she would die for the last bite. “Let go of that food this instant!”

“She’s not budging,” he called up .

“Pat her butt,” I suggested.

“ What ?”

Had he not heard me? “I said pat her butt!”

“I am not going to touch its butt. That’s disgusting .”

The abject horror in his tone made me burst into laughter instantly.

“Are you laughing at me?”

“Yes!” My sides hurt from trying to keep my laughter at bay. “I don’t mean her butt hole , you clod! I meant pat her flank! On the fluffy part! That’s how I get them moving in the woods.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he grumbled, voice echoing in the darkness. I could imagine his knitted brow and my chuckles broke free again. “Stop laughing at me! It’s not helping.”

“Did you need help?” I wiped my eyes. “I could hold your legs or something. Or maybe you want me to pat your butt?”

“You stay away from my butt,” he snapped. “Patting her isn’t work—oh! It worked.”

I scrambled back to give him room as he pushed his way back up out of the crevasse with Midnight held tightly in his arms. I wanted to collapse from relief .

“Oh, Midnight!” I gushed as the orc put her down. She looked a bit disgruntled and was still chewing. “Thank goodness you’re all right. You naughty, naughty thing! I can’t believe you nearly died for a blackberry vine!”

She paid me almost no mind and simply ambled off, climbing back down the rocks to where the rest of the flock was still grazing on clover. My relief was so palpable I couldn’t stay mad at her.

And then I turned to face her savior, and my stomach dropped right back down to my feet.

Fades, I’d been in such a panic I hadn’t really looked at him.

He was absolutely nothing like the serene and slender orcs of Rove Wood Clan.

This male was covered in hulking muscle, with enough scars to make one think his profession was wrestling saber cats.

His legs looked thick enough to choke an elk.

He wore no shirt and the rippling, perfect set of muscles that lined all the way down his stomach was incredible.

They tapered off just above his tight leather pants, which were snug around his—

My cheeks went deadly hot, and I snapped my gaze right back up to his face. He crooked a brow at me, and suddenly, the memory of his horrified voice after I’d told him to touch Midnight’s butt blasted right into my mind and. . . and. . .

I burst with laughter all over again. “I cannot believe you thought I wanted you to pat her butthole!” My eyes were streaming as I held my stomach. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t laugh, I just—Fades, I’m just so glad all this is over. Thank you so much for your help.”

Fades, I was laughing right in the face of a huge, battle-scarred warrior! What was he going to—

Deep, rumbling chuckles met my ears, and I looked up to find he was also laughing.

The mirth transformed his face almost completely. Laugh lines appeared around his eyes and mouth. His cheeks had colored to a bright green. Even his jawline looked softer.

“I cannot believe you tried to use a stick to prove you were a shepherdess.” His voice was tinged with jollity, and it made my stomach flip.

“I-It is my crook though!” I lifted it up to his view again. “Look, this is where I hang my lantern and it’s all worn down where I hold it. What do you think I pat my sheep’s butts with? ”

“Are you telling me you made me touch your sheep’s butt with my bare hand, but you touch it with a stick as long as you are tall?”

His smile widened, and any thought that he might be seriously offended was thrown right out. Fades, he was a sight. One could get used to looking at such a smile.

This whole situation was familiar. Not the sheep almost dying part, but the laughter. It had been almost two seasons since my father’s joints had flared up so badly, he couldn’t join me anymore.

I’d missed having company.

The orc’s smile softened. His deep green eyes looked so warm and inviting.

My cheeks went hot, and my heart began to hammer. “W-we should get down before any more insanity unfolds.”