Page 110 of The Orc Warrioress and the Elf Lord

“No, he is safe and sound in Cairnil, but we are staying here, for we do not wish to cede the entire city to the orcs,” said Kinsahad.

“Ah,” said Iahir. “Of course.” He paused. “But I heard that there are negotiations going on with the orcs—”

“Oh, yes, those traitors and blackguards under Marthlis,” said Kinsahad. “Larhil is part of it as well, but he’s always been mad with his ideas of extreme equality. Anyway, they are not the government, and neither are the orcs, and—”

“So, how many of the loyalists does Gilrihl have?” said Iahir. “Twenty?”

Kinsahad sighed. “You shouldn’t worry about it, because it’s enough to execute you.”

Iahir supposed that was true enough.

“You could deny it,” said Kinsahad. “I know that orc bitch you had in your bed was there with you. I know that you had her in Cirlahir. So, perhaps, and I don’t know what happened, but perhaps she killed the High King and perhaps you went after her to bring her to justice. And perhaps your mad brother traded her to the orcs and she got out of our grasp.”

Iahir’s lips parted.

“You write it out and you sign it,” said Kinsahad.

Iahir swallowed. His voice was raw. “I need to think.”

“Do you? Do you need to think about what the truth is?”

Iahir looked away.

“He was awful,” said Kinsahad. “We all know he was awful. I don’t even blame you in some ways. The orc woman, she’s gone, no matter how soft you were on her. It’s not as if blaming her means anything happens to you, you know. If she was our prisoner, it would be one thing, but she isn’t.”

Yes, but I love her, and using her to save my own neck, it’s particularly ignoble and cowardly. Iahir nodded. “You’re right, of course.”

“Once your name is cleared, perhaps Cirlahir is reassigned to you.”

Iahir nodded again.

“Then,” said Kinsahad, “all is as it should be. Once we drive these orcs off—”

“If we were going to drive them off, wouldn’t that have happened already?” said Iahir.

Kinsahad said nothing.

It was quiet.

Iahir’s mind was racing. If I die, I can’t protect my mother, he thought. His father would probably protect his mother, but his brother? Well, who knows what sort of loyalty his brother had. So, did it not make sense to simply lie, take his place in Cirlahir, and do what he could to keep his family safe?

But Gathren said she would seek me in Cirlahir, he thought. Of course, when she said it, he was certain they both knew she would not. That was not going to happen. They were not going to be together, not in several months and not in several years. On the other hand, if he had condemned her as the killer of the High King, if she did come, he would be obligated to have her executed for the crime, and he could not have that.

“Please tell me you’re not going to die for that orc bitch,” said Kinsahad.

“I need to think,” Iahir growled.

“I liked her, too,” said Kinsahad. “She was a step up from the women you usually take to bed, even if she was only using you to get close to the High King, even if she manipulated you into doing whatever you did. But she certainly isn’t going to mind it if you say she killed Findas. She would be proud to take the credit, I should think.”

Well, perhaps there was some truth in that.

And if he died, if he allowed himself to be executed, there was no chance of his doing anything. He could not protect his family. He could never reunite with Gathren. If he died, that was the end.

Iahir did not wish to die.

“How about this?” said Kinsahad. “I’ll leave you with paper and ink. When I come back in half an hour, you’ll have written out that she did it, and you’ll have signed it.” A pause. “Won’t you?”

“Give me a pen,” Iahir grunted.