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Chapter Four

Caivid

I watched her movements closely as she climbed down the slippery rocks. I shouldn’t have been worried. She was more adept at it than I was.

Her smile was bright as she got to the bottom, and it flooded me with warmth. Much like our shared humor had. When was the last time I’d laughed like that? I couldn’t recall.

“Midnight, let me look at you,” she demanded the moment our feet were on solid ground. The sheep bleated at her with annoyance as she looked at the leg the animal had been hanging from. “It’s a little scraped and swollen, but you aren’t limping.”

The relief in her tone was almost palpable, and I leaned against one of the boulders to watch.

The Fades must have been inspired when they’d rendered her.

With her golden hair shimmering in the setting daylight and her blue eyes sparkling with relief.

She was curvy and full in ways that made my fingers twitch with want to touch, and the sound of her laughter still echoed delightfully in my ears.

But she was also a stranger. A human woman from a village that wasn’t too keen on my presence here in these woods.

I should just leave. My purpose here was done.

But I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

“You’re such a naughty thing.” She threw her arms around the sheep’s neck.

The animal bleated with irritation and struggled out of her grip.

It trotted over to munch on clover with the rest of the flock.

They were fine-looking animals. Round in the belly with shiny, clean coats.

The one I’d saved was certainly the roundest. I watched her shove another ewe out of the way to get to some particularly nice-looking leaves.

“Here, a reward for all your help.”

My gaze snapped back to the woman as she walked over to my side. Was she teasing? She didn’t look like she was teasing.

She went to a pack sitting at the base of the rocks and dug around inside.

The scent of fruit, honey, and dried meat drifted toward me, blotting out her delicious rosemary.

I closed my eyes and took a deep inhale, filling my lungs to the brim as I tried to memorize the smell of her beyond the pungent aromas coming from her bag.

“Here!” My eyes snapped open, and I found her right in front of me, holding out a cloth-wrapped bundle the size of my palm.

“You can have this. It isn’t much, but it’s all I’ve got now.

Once the sheep are sheared, I could give you some wool as well.

Do you like wool? Most of the orcs in Rove Wood Clan do.

They have it spun and knitted into. . . shirts. ”

I raised my brows as she trailed off with her eyes stuck on my chest.

“You warrior types don’t wear shirts, though, do you?” she asked.

Oh, that’s why she was staring. “Not typically. It’s a waste of resources.”

“Your resources are so slim you can’t afford shirts ?” She blinked her blue eyes at me. Her golden hair framed her rounded cheeks. Her arms were thick with muscle, and she’d already recovered her breath despite the exertion of climbing down the rocks.

She was strong and hale, and suddenly, my mind was quickening with thoughts of how I could wear her out. . .

Ah, fuck , what was wrong with me?

“Go ahead and try the oat bar.” She pointed to the cloth in my hand. “I’m sure you’ll like it.”

I reluctantly looked away from her and unwrapped the packaging, only for my nose to curl up in disgust. The sickly-sweet smell of dried fruit and honey curled up around my nostrils and my tongue shriveled with dismay.

“My name is Susara, by the way. I’m Shepherd Tomind’s daughter. What is your name?”

“Caivid,” I responded curtly, warring with myself over taking a bite of the flat oat pancake in my palm. It was harder than rock and stickier than Hendr’s socks.

“Caivid,” she repeated, drawing my full attention. “Caivid, the warrior orc.”

Fades, have mercy. I could get used to that. The sound of my name on her lips felt as warm in my chest as the light from the Fades themselves.

“Try it. Tell me what you think.” She waved to the bar.

There was no way out of it. I lifted the disgusting thing to my lips and took the smallest bite my teeth could muster.

My tongue shriveled up and my throat closed as it rebelled against swallowing. The taste was even worse than the dry, sticky texture. The sugar flattened my tastebuds until they burned. It took everything I had to keep my expression blank.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry.” The food was taken back out of my hand, and I blinked down at the woman as her brows furrowed with contrition. “You hate it, don’t you? Please feel free to spit it out if you do.”

She didn’t have to tell me twice. I leaned over and spat the food on the ground as far from her feet as I could. Once the taste was gone, I couldn’t help but marvel that she could read my expression so easily.

“I’m truly sorry.” Her remorse burned me. The last thing I wanted was for her to be upset. “Was it the oats? The honey?”

“Too sweet.” I smacked my lips, trying to get the taste out.

“Here, I have some water.” She passed me a leather pouch, and I downed a few grateful gulps. “What else could I give you. . . do you like dried mutton? I have a little of that in here. Or I could meet with you at the next trade and bring you some mutton stew?”

She would see me again? I would not pass up that offer. “Yes. I’ll take the stew.”

She clapped her hands and beamed. “Wonderful. Still, I wish I had something for you now. The trade isn’t for another half-moon. I promise it will be worth the wait. I’ll make you the best mutton stew you’ve ever had.”

“That should be easy for you.” My body felt light and full at the same time. “I’ve never had mutton stew before.”

“Really?” Her brows rose adorably.

I shook my head. “Sheep are only owned by humans.” Not even the Rove Wood orcs owned sheep.

“I suppose that’s true.” She tapped her chin. “I wonder why that is?”

“Likely because humans do not share their resources.”

Her brow furrowed with irritation, and it shadowed her eyes. The dark blue was enchanting. “Well, the humans of Oakwall do share. Do you want to own a sheep? Several of my ewes are pregnant and we could strike a deal. You could be the first orc to ever own one.”

The oddity of that offer struck me so hard I couldn’t help but chuckle. The idea of one of these small creatures following me around, getting into constant trouble. My brethren would mock me mercilessly.

“No, woman,” I said once I’d caught my breath. “I would far prefer the stew. I fear your sheep may be too mischievous for me to handle.”

My response made her grin, and Fades, wake me, she was breathtaking when she smiled. “All right then, but if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

My humor dimmed. I did know where to find her. She was behind tall walls within a community that did not welcome my company. The trade wasn’t for another fourteen days. Anything could happen in that time.

She looked off toward the setting sun. “I should get going home. My father is going to wring me out for being so late.”

I looked around, only then realizing how dark it had grown. “Do you want me to walk you back?”

“Oh, you don’t need to.” She opened up the glass door of her lantern and turned a little knob that made the flame glow brighter.

Her golden hair glowed orange and her eyes sparkled in the firelight.

“I’ve spent many nights out here in the woods before and I know every path, even in the dark. I’ll be fine.”

My stomach knotted. “What about predators?”

“The sheep have good instincts.” She closed her lantern with a light click. “They’ll warn me if a predator is about.”

That didn’t answer what she would do when one attacked. “Let me walk you.”

Her brow furrowed adorably. “You’ve done so much for me already, Caivid. And I really will be fine.”

“I insist.” My tone was firmer than I’d meant it to be, but all she did was tip her head and blink. “Let me walk you, Susara. For my own peace of mind.”

Her cheeks went a brighter pink at that, and her gaze skittered away. She cleared her throat. “Well, I suppose if you insist.”

I exhaled my relief. “Thank you.”

She chuckled and the sound was like music. It made my blood dance in my veins. “I should be thanking you, Caivid. After all this, I’m going to owe you more than just stew.”

She tapped her crook on the ground and the sheep stopped their grazing to gather around her feet. “Come on. Let’s go home for oats.”

Several of the sheep bleated as if excited.

She navigated the path to Oakwall Village so easily despite the darkness. I knew humans couldn’t see in the dark, but the way she moved made me wonder.

“You’re really out here alone with your sheep every day?”

She shot me an amused look. “Yes, I am. I wasn’t always alone though. My father used to be with me, but his joints have been causing him trouble. And before that, my mother was with us too.”

“What happened to her?”

“She passed from illness ten years ago.” There was a hollowness to her voice. An ache that made my throat tight. “There are some things even your healing tinctures can’t cure.”

That I knew all too well. I’d lost many brethren over the years. “I understand that pain.”

Warmth covered my hand, and I blinked down in shock to find her hand on mine.

Was she offering comfort? I met her gaze and her eyes softened as she looked at me, as she read me, and I exhaled slowly, taking all the tension with it. Her thumb smoothed over my knuckles and my knees threatened to buckle under the soothing weight of her touch.

My hand was covered in scars from a lifetime of using my fist to bash, bruise, and break anyone and anything that threatened me. Pain was more familiar to me than any other sensation.

I’d never known tenderness like this before.

Something pushed hard into my leg and our hands broke apart.

The black sheep I’d saved, Midnight, was shoving me aside so she could nuzzle at my pack.

“Midnight, you naughty thing. That’s no way to show your appreciation.” Susara tapped the sheep’s bum with her crook, but the ewe only bleated with annoyance. “I’m sorry, Caivid, I don’t know what’s come over her.”

She went up on her back legs and pushed her nose into the front pocket. She yanked out the sack of dried vegetables and herbs and trotted off faster than I could blink.

“Midnight!” Susara was so aghast that I had to hold back from laughing. “You naughty thing. Give that back!”

“It’s fine,” I assured, clearing my throat to hide my mirth. “I can get more. Rove Wood Clan has opened their storeroom to us.”

“I suppose you wouldn’t want it with sheep slobber all over it anyway.” She sighed and we began to walk again. “I’d offer to get you a new one but produce is orc territory in winter. I have some dried apples at home though, if you’d like.”

I shook my head. “No. I’m fine.”

“Oh right, you don’t like sweets.” She tapped her chin in thought. “Maybe some bread, then? I get on well with Trinia, the town baker, and I bet I could get you some.”

“The stew is enough.” I was feeling like I was taking advantage of her kindness.

An odd look crossed her features. One that I, surprisingly, read as easily as I could read animal tracks in mud. “Don’t you be plotting anything, woman.”

Her brows rose and her voice was a little too high when she said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“It was a bag of dried carrots,” I insisted. “I wasn’t going to eat them anyway.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to offer? What if it’s something you need? ”

“I have all my needs met by Rove Wood Clan.” And yet I couldn’t help but mumble, “Though, I supposed hearing your offer wouldn’t hurt anything.”

She grinned in a way that made my heart stutter in my chest. Like she’d cracked through a thick stone to reveal something warm and soft that had been hidden away inside me. I couldn’t look away from her.

“Do you still want a hug?”

My heart felt like it was about to stop in my chest.

Her smile widened. “I’m going to take that look to mean yes. You’ll have to lean down a bit though, or I’ll be hugging your stomach.”

Ah, fuck, she was serious. My throat felt tight as I leaned down.

She didn’t hesitate for even a moment and stepped forward into my arms. Her head tucked right next to mine and her arms came around my neck.

She smelled like bliss. Better than bliss.

Like perfect warmth and comfort made real.

My body relaxed, every muscle going limp. It was a wonder I stayed standing.

In response, she tightened her hold. Her breasts pressed into my chest, warm and soft. All thoughts of comfort were drowned out in an instant as my blood heated. I sucked in a breath to stop the basal urges suddenly swarming me with need.

The embrace came to an end far too quickly. As she stepped back, it felt like the first winter’s frost had settled in my bones.

“W-well.” Her voice sounded jittery, and her cheeks had gone back to that delightful bright color. “I, er, I suppose we should part ways here.”

I blinked in shock and looked around, only to realize we were very close to her village. I could see the wall of oak trees through the foliage.

“But I’ll see you at the next trade,” she said with a nod. “I’ll bring the stew.”

“Yes.” My voice sounded thick and my whole body quailed against the idea of her leaving. She couldn’t leave.

And yet she did. She gave a light wave and clicked her tongue. Her sheep bleated and followed as she made her way toward the village gates. They were closed, but a quick call from her had them opening up a crack.

I moved closer, watching until she and her flock had disappeared safely behind the walls—into a place where I could not go .

The painful truth of it crashed down around me. I’d have to wait fifteen days before I could see her again.

Every moment would be agony.