Page 39 of Wed to the Orc Captive

“That’s why you think I’m safe here.”

“Yes.”

I looked out the warped and blurred window, gathering myself. I didn’t want to cry in front of her, whatever this week had been like.

“I know what it’s like,” she blurted, “to have decisions taken out of your hands. So I don’t want to tell you everything is going to be okay.” Her face flushed. I wondered again if she was a prisoner, but no. Who could keep a sorceress prisoner? Her man’s voice had sounded somewhat gentle, at least. “There will be trouble because you're here. It’s not widely accepted to bring in people like us.”

“Like us?” I tensed. Did she mean wielders of power? But mine was negligible.

“Humans.” Some recognition sparked in her eyes. “But if you have power, I would keep it to yourself, for now.”

My mind was running and running and getting nowhere, like a dog leashed to a stake.

She continued. “There are going to be people who argue that Vrathgar has broken a law. There will be people arguing that he has to prove you are married, and people arguing that you or he need to leave the Drashik.”

“What’s the Drashik?”

“We’re the Drashik.” She chewed on her lip. “Did he tell you nothing?”

My neck warmed with humiliation.

“It’s not important.” She swallowed. “I’m here, and Khal and I and Grezha are going to make sure nothing happens to you. But if there’s a fight, or a trial, or people threaten him or you, I don’t want it to come out of nowhere. I—" She flinched again, and she looked away, like she couldn’t quite meet my eyes. “You said earlier that you wanted to see Vrathgar. Do you still want to?”

The fire crackled. I clenched the quilt in my fist. “Yes.”

“I’ll take you to him. Let’s get you changed and I’ll walk with you.”

“Changed into what?” I didn’t mean to sound so brittle. I didn’t mean to scoot farther back on the bed.

“I brought…” She trailed off. The bundle on her lap looked like a similar fabric to her own attire. Her own boldly indecent attire.

“I will wear my own clothes.”

“You have Vrathgar’s blood on your dress.”

“No it isn't. I didn't stab him.”

She stared.

I curled back. “It isn't his.” The fabric, crusted with reddish brown, chafed against my skin. “It's fine.”

“Don't you want something clean? We could wash your dress. You won't lose it.”

“I married one orc,” I could hear myself get shrill, gritted my teeth. “I did not…agree to show my body to all of them. Please just…show me where he is.”

Her lips pursed together. She nodded. “Stay with me,” she said. “Don’t talk to anyone.” She hesitated, and then took the dress she had carried, the barely-there dress, and draped it over my shoulders like a shawl, tugged it to cover some of the blood that stained the front of me. She held the door open behind her, and I followed.

Twilight bathed a strange world, and I realized why the midwife's home hadn’t had corners. The homes here seemed to be built into the earth, with grass growing over them, some into the sides of the massive trees that grew up toward a pocket of sky high above. Something was glowing in the branches, in the moss underfoot. Glowworms? Fireflies?

“Stay close to me,” she said. “We’re probably safe, but I wouldn’t like to burn anyone alive.” I didn’t know where that option came from, or whether it was a threat.

She walked quickly, bouncing in nervous steps, her eyes always scanning. I was slow, still weak from the cursed fever, and she stopped frequently so I could catch up, her fingers tapping restlessly at her side. The light waned, the glow all around us becoming the main source of illumination, but her direction didn’t falter. When she saw me stumble again she took my hand. “This way. Careful.” We were climbing wide, uneven steps, towards what looked like a door in a wall of rock. “Zhana, it’s us! We’re here.” The door swung open in front of us, and a tall, lanky figure was silhouetted against the light, head just brushing the doorframe.

The sorceress hissed something in Orcish, and kept her body between me and the newcomer as she drew me inside. The orc stepped back, a lean, boyish face.

“Tyralk!” she spat. “I told you to stay back! I’m not trying to scare her.”

The tall one, long hair pulled back, raised his hands. “Mom is in the back. And I’m not scaring anyone! I’m the least scary person here.”