Page 26 of X’nath (Dark Orcs of Helfallow)

26

Chapter Eight: A Feast Unshared

GRACIE

T he heat of the fire in the hearth surrounded me, the smell of roasting meats and herbs filling the air as I stirred the pot. It had taken hours of preparation, all of us working together in the kitchen, our hands moving in synchrony like we had done this for years. The laughter and chatter among us had made the whole process feel lighter than it usually would, and for a moment, I felt… content.

The feast was ready. The tables were laden with roasted meats, bread, fresh vegetables, and fragrant stews—enough to feed a small army. Kelly had set up the platters of food with a flourish, and Erin had gone all out with garnishes, adding a touch of color and creativity. Salma had baked bread that was so light and fluffy it practically melted in your mouth. It felt good to be contributing something to the clan, to show them that we weren’t just outsiders waiting to be cared for—we could give, too.

The men of the clan began to gather, their hearty voices rising in approval as they saw the spread. Compliments filled the air, some of them directed toward the dishes, others toward us. Sophie stood tall, grinning proudly, basking in Korrin’s praise, while Kelly and Salma exchanged teasing glances.

“Gracie, this stew is incredible!” one of the younger orcs called, his voice filled with genuine admiration.

“Thank you,” I smiled at him, but it felt hollow, as if the joy of preparing the meal had faded with every compliment. I couldn’t shake the emptiness that was beginning to grow.

I could hear the others around me—Sophie laughing with Greag, Kelly chatting with a few of the warriors about the proper way to season a dish, Erin making some sort of witty remark to the men closest to her. It was all supposed to feel good. A shared moment of pride for what we’d made together.

But why did I feel so… empty?

I glanced around the clearing. The men were enjoying the food, but there was one thing missing—Yargol. X’nath. Neither of them had shown up. My eyes scanned the crowd again, but there was no sign of either one.

The realization struck me hard.

Why aren’t they here?

I tried to ignore the tightness in my chest. The effort I’d put into this meal—it had been for them too, hadn’t it? The men were here, eating and praising, but the ones I had hoped to share it with—especially X’nath—were conspicuously absent.

“What’s the matter, Gracie? You look like you lost your best friend or something,” Kelly’s teasing voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She flashed me a sly grin, nudging me with her elbow. Her mate, Vakgar had his eyes glued on her despite spooning his meal into his mouth. “I thought you’d be floating on air with all the compliments we’ve been getting.”

I smiled at her, but it didn’t reach my eyes. “I’m fine. Just… a little distracted.”

Sophie, who had been standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. “Distracted? You look like someone just poured cold water on your parade.” She gave me a playful nudge. “You’re not upset that someone beat you to the stew, are you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I replied quickly, but my gaze flickered back to the crowd, looking for any sign of Yargol or X’nath. Where are they?

Erin, now sitting across from me, crossed her arms with a huff. “I swear, if Karg doesn’t show up soon, I’m going to throw this plate of food at him.” She shot a glare toward the entrance to the camp, as if daring him to appear. “I mean, we work our butts off for this, and he just disappears with no word? And he’s not the only one! X’nath was supposed to help too, wasn’t he?”

She was right. Both of them were absent. Were they off doing something together?

“Exactly!” Salma chimed in, her tone light but teasing. “He’s been avoiding you, Gracie, hasn’t he? Or maybe you’re just too distracted with the food to notice.”

I tensed. “What do you mean?” My voice was sharp, and I immediately regretted it. I didn’t want to give them anything more to tease me about, but I couldn’t hide the unease that settled in my chest at the mention of X’nath.

“Oh come on, Gracie,” Kelly said, her tone more sincere now, “you’re not fooling anyone. You've been spending a lot of time with him, and now he’s nowhere to be found when we need him. I mean, it’s a little suspicious, don’t you think? Did you guys get into a fight or something?”

I swallowed hard. My hands, still holding the spoon, tightened around its handle, and I felt an overwhelming heat rise to my face. “We’re just… helping each other out, you know, when things like battling monsters arise.” I hadn’t meant for it to sound defensive, but it did.

Erin narrowed her eyes at me. “Yeah, helping each other out. But helping who , exactly? He’s been like this with everyone lately, hasn’t he? He’s got a one track mind, or so we thought.” She gestured around to the empty space where X’nath and Karg should have been sitting. “And now they’re both not here.”

“Maybe they’re just busy,” I offered weakly, but the doubt in my mind made the words feel hollow.

Sophie leaned in, her expression turning more thoughtful than teasing. “You’re not worried, are you? About him and… someone else?”

My heart skipped a beat. Is that it?

I couldn’t lie. A part of me had been wondering why he hadn’t come. He had said he'd always be there, but then he’d disappeared. Now I was stuck feeling… confused. The laughter around me faded into the background, and the warmth from the fire didn’t seem as comforting as it once had.

Erin’s voice cut through the silence again. “You know, it’s not just you. Karg’s been brooding too. I’d go after him, but I’m afraid if I try, we’ll just end up bickering. The guy’s practically a walking storm cloud after our fights.”

I frowned, suddenly aware of how distant everyone seemed. The jokes, the teasing, even the praise for the meal—it all felt like it was happening to someone else, not me.

“Maybe they just don’t get it,” I muttered, staring into my plate, my spoon resting in my hands. “It’s not about the food. It’s about being here—about being together. A united clan.”

There was a quiet pause around the table, and then Kelly’s voice softened. “Gracie… we’re proud of what you did here. Proud of what all of us did. We’ve never had a meal like this before. But sometimes, you can’t just force people to see what’s right in front of them.” She gave me a knowing look, her words both comforting and biting at the same time.

I nodded, still partially in denial, though the hollow feeling in my chest didn’t fade. Where are you, X’nath?

I’d put everything into this—every ounce of energy, every smile, every hopeful thought. But now, with all the men praising the meal, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was still being overlooked. Maybe not by the clan, but by him.

The laughter around the table began to feel distant, and I forced myself to smile. It wasn’t the others, it wasn’t the meal—it was me. I had expected something different from this night. I had expected... X’nath to perhaps pull me behind a tree and kiss me or something, despite my constant resistance.

And now, I was unsure whether I’d even have the chance to show him what I was capable of. Or if I was just another moment in his long line of distractions.