Page 7

Chapter Six

Caivid

“ T his. . . is it?”

I looked around the worn-out, almost dilapidated dwelling that Chief Brovdir had guided me into. When he’d mentioned that the conjurer orcs had offered him a house to stay in, I hadn’t expected it to be the nicest dwelling they had available, but this was just insulting.

“Might be better off as firewood,” Toj said as he walked the perimeter. He stopped near the fireplace, which looked more like a burned-out pit.

“I wonder if they actually tried that,” Ogvick said brightly, betraying his youth. He went to look at the countertops lining the far wall. They were half rotten. Even the floor underfoot looked like it might give way .

Which was impossible, because like with every other orc home in Rove Wood, this dwelling had been carved directly into a massive tree.

An oak so ancient I could feel the life of it thrumming in my bones.

It was a wonder that it could survive such a huge chunk of its trunk being carved out.

I looked toward the ceiling and could see the tree’s rings, marking each year of its life.

There were probably more than I could count.

“I think with enough work, it would be a fine house.” Ogvick toed at one of the open cabinet doors and the top hinge snapped off.

I chuckled at Ogvick’s shock as he scrambled to right it.

“Don’t bother,” Chief Brovdir said from the doorway and Ogvick gave up the fruitless task only to have it break off completely. A puff of dust wafted up as it smacked to the floor.

I looked away from my younger brethren and scanned the wall. “Is that the bathroom?” I pointed to a door that was shut tight.

“Don’t, ” Chief Brovdir warned darkly. “Needs fixing.”

I grimaced at the thought, and Ogvick moved in close anyway. His wide nose wrinkled up fiercely and he jerked back as if smacked. “Fuck, it smells worse than Hendr’s socks.”

I couldn’t help grinning at the comparison. “Maybe we should give it to him since he’s not around to say no.” I looked to Brovdir, whose shoulders were shaking as he silently laughed.

“I’d like to see his face when you showed him,” Toj said in his low, quiet voice. If he hadn’t been standing next to the window, where light from the street lanterns was filtering in, he’d have blended into the shadows completely.

Ogvick gave a wry grin. “I think he’d rather spit on it or use it as target practice than waste his time trying to fix it.”

Toj shrugged. “I think he’d be motivated.”

Chief Brovdir narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Toj. “Meaning?”

Toj averted his gaze. Clearly, he knew something more than he was letting on, and usually, he’d have told instantly. We five had been friends for many summers and weathered many storms. But with Brovdir as chief now, I knew the dynamic had shifted.

“Out with it,” Brovdir demanded roughly. He rubbed the scar at his throat and his brow pinched with pain.

Toj muttered, “We’ve all seen the way he looks at that seamstress at the trades. . .”

Right. I’d almost forgotten Hendr’s obsession. “Nalina was her name, right?”

Ogvick’s brows rose high. “Is that why he ran off into the woods at the camp? Is he going to see her?”

“Better not be.” Brovdir’s voice was as low and fiery as a goblin forge. “You need to stay away from Oakwall.”

We all fell into a glum silence. There wasn’t one of us warriors who didn’t hope for a conquest. Preserving our species was a goal that had been beaten into us from an early age.

Finding a human woman who was willing to lie with us was hard enough, but also convincing her to carry our babe to term? That was another thing entirely.

Oakwall had brought us all hope until we realized that the stark differences between us—brutal, battle broken warriors—and the serene slender conjurers was so noticeable to the humans.

At least most of them. Susara’s bright eyes flashed in my vision. Her lovely smile. Her high laughter made my whole body feel light.

She hadn’t seemed to care what I looked like.

Or perhaps she was just being kind .

I glanced out the foggy window at the golden trees and the stars in the twinkling night sky and wondered for perhaps the millionth time why the Fades had not created female orcs. Why had they forced us to rely on human women to keep our species alive?

“I need to go to the hall,” Brovdir said, breaking off our brooding. “Need to check in with Sythcol.”

“I’ll come with you. I want to visit with some of the conjurers.” Ogvick’s voice was bright with excitement, and he suddenly looked younger than twenty years. I wondered if I’d ever looked that jovial, even in my youth.

“They’ll welcome you this time?” Toj raised his dark brows suspiciously.

Ogvick scowled, though I could see a flicker of uncertainty cross his features. I knew he was eager to make friends his age, but the Rove Wood orcs hadn’t exactly been warm toward him. “They have to get used to us eventually.”

“Perhaps eat with me,” Toj suggested. “I’m joining Iytier and Govek.”

“Maybe,” Ogvick grumbled before turning to me. “You coming too, Caivid?”

For a moment I almost agreed, but then my chest tightened at the memory of what was found within the walls of the hall. Massive tables with enough seating for the whole clan. Orcs chatting and laughing. Mated males seated next to their women with the sons careening around them.

There was music, and light, and laughter. Every one of them was relaxed. At peace.

At home.

And that only made my chest ache with longing more. Why couldn’t I just settle down ? The other warriors had joined them so easily, and I still felt like the ground beneath my feet would fall out at any moment.

“Maybe later.” My voice sounded hollow, even to my ears.

Ogvick shrugged and Toj followed him out.

Only Brovdir, with his eyes mirrors of understanding, paused to give me a nod.

We’d spoken on this before. How our lives felt as if they’d been turned inside out.

With his new position in leadership, he was as unsteady on his feet as I was.

But I envied him, for with every passing day, his new task grew easier. I could see him settling into the new routines. I tried so hard to follow suit, but no matter what I did, my mind refused to relent.

As the door closed behind them, I went to touch the wall, the trunk. I was here. In the Rove Woods, inside a huge tree that had sat here for a thousand years and would stand for a thousand more. Rooted to the same spot. Never questioning where it was meant to go.

I tried to imagine roots of my own digging down deep into the ground below my feet and the ache in my chest eased a little.

A knock at the door jolted me back out of my trance. Icy shock tingled up my spine, and my muscles clenched. My brethren wouldn’t bother to knock, which meant it must be a conjurer orc.

The knock sounded again, sharp and distinct. I blinked with realization before going to the door and yanking it open. The bird that had been rapping its beak on the doorframe swooped into the room. A messenger bird. But who would send me a note so late in the eve?

The bird did a quick lap around the perimeter of the room and then perched on my shoulder with its tiny leg stuck out so I could retrieve the message.

The scent of rosemary wafted from the parchment, and my heart thundered to a halt as I read.

Caivid, please meet me at the northern entrance to the Clan. I’ll be there as soon as I am able. ~Susara

The bird flew off, and I barely noticed as a million questions raced through my mind so fast I could hardly catch them.

But one thing stood out.

She was going to walk all the way here, on her own, in the dark.

My heart was in my throat as I raced out of the house. The paths were mostly vacant at this time of night, though the orcs I saw gave me an odd look as I sprinted to the northern entry. It took far too long to get there.

Fuck, she hadn’t arrived yet! I didn’t smell her scent in the air. I continued along the route that led to the trade pavilion. I arrived there in half the time it would normally take and found it completely empty. She hadn’t reached this point yet.

I’d never been on the human side of the path, the one that led directly to Oakwall, but with Susara’s safety in mind, I did not hesitate .

The night felt oppressive and dangerous, even though I could see as clearly in the dark as I could in the day.

Every shadow, every rustle of the wind in the trees, every hoot or scamper of nighttime wildlife made my hair stand up on end.

Panic settled hard and fast in the back of my throat, making me want to lash out.

To bare my teeth. To strike with my claws at every threat.

But there were no threats! I was not at war here. I wasn’t .

My body did not relent its tension, despite my logic.

And then I rushed around a bend and there she was.

Her face was illuminated by her lantern. Her crook thudded rhythmically as she walked. Her sky-blue eyes sparkled in the dim.

She blinked up, eyes wide, as she saw me sprinting toward her.

And then she smiled .

And it felt like dawn had just crested in my soul.

“Oh, Caivid! I didn’t mean for you to come all this way. I’m sorry. It took me longer than I expected to sneak past the guards.”

My heart burst into my throat even as my panic began to ebb. Susara wore a thick woolen gown that fit her well and protected her from the chill of the night. Her hair was tousled, her cheeks were pink, and her expression was open and warm.

I was so glad to see her safe, I nearly went to my knees.

“You got my bird then,” she said as she stopped in front of me and her smile faded slightly. “Caivid, are you all right?”

“Yes,” I managed, trying to tamp down my blasted instincts. I could smell no other humans in the air. No predators. We were alone. She was fine , and so was I.

“Caivid.” Her voice was soothing, and then she picked up my hand. I blinked down at her in shock as she rubbed my knuckles. My claws were still slightly extended.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I would have put in more details, but the messenger birds can only carry a small paper.”

Fades, her fingertips felt so tender as they stroked me. I managed to tuck my claws away.

She smiled. “I know it’s a little crazy for me to ask to talk to you so late. I wouldn’t have done this if I wasn’t. . . if I didn’t need. . .”

Her voice sounded choked and there was an odd shimmer to her eyes that made my chest squeeze. “Why don’t we get off the path so we can talk?”

Her brow screwed up. “Off the. . . path?”

Ah fuck, my instinct to hide, to stay off main paths, especially ones made by humans, blared in me again. It was hard to focus, to remember that there was no war here. Just a woman.

A woman I needed to keep safe.

I needed to get her off the path.

Warmth covered my cheek, and I blinked down into her eyes.

Fades, she was cupping my face in her hand. She was so small she had to stretch nearly all the way up to reach me. “All right, Caivid. Let’s find somewhere you feel safe.”

Was I making my tension so obvious? I clenched my teeth and gestured for her to lead the way. She released my hand and cheek, and it felt like the whole world went icy cold.

Her steps were quick and sure as she stepped off the well-worn path and into the dark forest. She glanced back at me a few times, her eyes alight with curiosity. But her movements were smooth and there was no tension in her shoulders.

“Is this far enough?” she asked, stopping in a small clearing with a soft, mossy patch beneath our feet. It was completely obscured from the path, and I could scent no threats nearby. Just a few squirrels and a hungry owl who hooted in the distance.

“This is fine,” I said with a nod.

Her gaze softened as she looked up at me. Her smile made my whole body go hot.

She touched the middle of my chest with her warm fingertips, and it felt like I was melting.

“Thank you, Caivid. I promise I won’t take up too much of your time.”

I’d like to give her every moment of time I had left.