Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

RYKO

I 'm careful not to raise my eyes to the sunlight and risk even a second of light blindness. My eyes adjust quickly. Two vints, no more, face me. I was sure I'd heard a third.

Both step back when they see the rage on my face. Perhaps vints are not as stupid as I believe.

"What do you want?" I demand, baring my teeth.

My grak's rule of not starting any fights irritates me, but no one, not even someone as territorial as an orc, would risk his life over a cave of no value. But they know I have a female inside.

And while I only see two males, there are likely more nearby. Vints travel in packs, like the animals they are.

"What were you doing in there?" The taller male runs his eyes over me, assessing my physical condition, weapons, and abilities.

I've seen this vint before. His dark blue skin stands out among the lighter blue vints, but it is his penchant for trouble that I remember most.

Several months back, he challenged my neld to a fight. Vertig refused, following our grak's orders not to fight in Pen'Kesh. As Vertig turned to leave, the vint attacked him.

Vertig is an excellent fighter and would never turn his back to an enemy. He'd been watching the male's reflection in a metal pan hanging over a vendor's table and turned in time to defend himself. With one deft swing of his sword, Vertig severed the vint's knife hand.

A sleek mechanical hand now resides at the end of the vint's wrist. That means the vints have been trading with the bantarans. This is information my grak will want.

"Move on," I order, not bothering to answer his question. To emphasize my irritation with them, I bare my tusks as I rest my left hand on the hilt of one of my knives strapped to my chest. I exited the cave with my sword drawn and pointed toward the ground. The fact that I have not sheathed it puts the vints on notice that I won't hesitate to use it.

The vint's tail swishes back and forth across the ground, the spikes turn downward, digging into the dirt. It's disrespectful in their culture.

He's baiting me. His disrespect means nothing to me, but I'd like to slice him in two for his attempt to kill Vertig and for the threat he now poses to my female.

"What are you hiding in there, orc?"

I curl my lip to reveal the full length of my tusks. "Last warning," I say, with a clear threat in my voice. "Leave."

The vint draws a five-inch blade.

I raise my sword. And grin. "Which hand would you like to lose this time?"

"We should go, Hap," the second vint says.

"Yes, Hap. You should," I agree with his friend, who isn't armed. "Unlike my neld, I have less restraint."

"He took my hand!"

"But not your life." These vints really aren't very bright. "I could easily take your life. Or I could take both hands. Trophies." I circle the air with the tip of my sword, pointing at his face. "Or an eye and your tongue. So many good choices."

His friend's eyes widen as he pulls him away by his tunic.

The two males leave, but I'm sure we will meet again and next time he will carry more than a knife. I look forward to it.

After I'm sure the vints have walked too far to hear us, I stop at the mouth of the cave, allow my eyes to adjust and enter. With shaking hands, Lily holds my knife, ready to strike whoever comes near.