31. Renowlf

I followHagob and Turgen through the dense forest, my muscular frame cloaked in shadows cast by the thick canopy. Like the predators in the forest that hunt for their next meal, I stalk my prey.

Even in the waning light my eyesight is still sharp. I constantly scan my surroundings, ever vigilant for signs of danger, while keeping my primary focus on the two figures ahead, their hulking forms lumbering through the rough.

The thrill of the hunt courses through my veins, heightened by the gravity of the situation. My hand grips the hilt of my sword, a loyal blade that has tasted the blood of my enemies—and will soon taste the blood of Mia's would-be abductors.

As I move closer to the orcs, their low murmurs become audible. I can hear the hushed exchange between Hagob and Turgen, and the name Bayliss floats through the air like an ominous whisper. My jaw clenches as I strain to catch every word between them, desperate for details about the betrayal that is unfolding.

Turgen"s gravelly voice reaches me through the trees. "With our help in securing the human female, Bayliss could overtake the throne by daybreak. Our reward is imminent."

"She promised us positions in her court. Are you certain she will follow through?" Hagob asks, his words conveying a seed of doubt.

"Do you question our true queen's integrity?" Turgen barks, incredulous.

"Well, this is Bayliss we are talking about…"

"Imbecile." Turgen stops and grips Hagob's arm. "Do not speak of such things. Even now she could have spies watching us…evaluating the strength of our allegiance."

They are both imbeciles for trusting Bayliss and aiding in her treason. She will not succeed at taking Mia's life or seizing control of the kingdom, and they will pay dearly for aligning with her.

As Hagob and Turgen continue their journey, my patience for stealthy observation grows thin. The sword in my hand practically vibrates from the need to mete out justice.

When the orcs enter a small clearing, I know the time for confrontation has arrived. The element of surprise is on my side, and I use it to my advantage. With a primal roar, I emerge from concealment, my eyes blazing with fury, the blade of my sword glinting in the fading light of the suns.

"Traitors!" The word rips from my throat, carrying the weight of betrayal, defiance, and revenge. The air is thick with tension as I slowly advance toward Hagob and Turgen. My ferocity freezes the other two orcs in their tracks, fear and uncertainty etched on their faces.

When I am close enough, I reach out with my sword. The tip pierces the skin over Hagob's heart, drawing blood. "Which other orcs conspire with Bayliss?" I demand, my voice a low growl.

When neither of the orcs speak, I let my blade sink further into Hagob's flesh, turning the trickle of blood running down his chest into a river.

"Please, sire," he whimpers. The scent of his fear mingles with the metallic tang of his blood.

"Speak or die," I command.

"I d-do n-no-not know all who have joined forces with her," Hagob stammers.

With my peripheral vision, I see Turgen backing away, preparing to flee. Without hesitation, I plunge my sword through Hagob's heart and throw his dying body to the ground. Then, I turn my attention to his cowardly cohort.

With a few swift strides, I have the edge of my bloody sword pressed firmly against Turgen's throat. "Name the traitors, and I may spare your life."

Turgen hesitates only briefly. "Mostly the old palace guards. The warriors loyal to Ragowlf, like me and Hagob."

"Names," I growl.

"Talvir, Ulgok, Euroslo, Grakmer. There are others. Bayliss keeps a list of all those who have allied with her."

"Why would you swear fealty to my brother, yet betray me?"

"You belong on the battlefield, Renowlf, not the throne." Turgen glances at his fallen friend, then looks at me with hatred. "Your brother was kind, fair, just. He led with his heart while you lead with your sword. Ragowlf earned our respect; you demand it. Your temperament is poorly suited to rule, and that is why we have aligned with Bayliss. Even your own second has turned against you."

I slam Turgen to ground and kneel on his chest, my sword still at his throat. "Dolphus would never betray me," I growl. "Never."

"Are you certain of that, sire?" Turgen's haunting laugh echoes through clearing. "How does it feel to know you put an enemy in charge of your intended queen's safety?"

Could my second, my trusted warrior, really be aligned with Bayliss? The possibility shocks me to the core. "Where is your proof that Dolphus is a traitor?"

"Check my communicator," Turgen says with unhinged glee. "You can see our comms."

I retrieve Turgen's communicator from his belt and scroll through his messages. Familiar names conversing about Bayliss' nefarious plot give me more of the traitors I seek—and the proof I requested.

Turgen seizes on my realization that he is telling the truth about Dolphus. "Serves you right for choosing a breeding slave as your queen."

I have underestimated how many of my people would reject Mia as their queen…and I will make them all pay.

"You are right about me, Turgen." With a flick of my wrist, my blade slices cleanly across his throat. "I lead with my sword."

His eyes, wide with surprise, and the sound of blood gurgling out from the wound as he takes his last breaths give me some satisfaction as I wipe my blade clean. Then, I use his communicator to message Dolphus and lure him into a trap.

Are you still with the breeding slave?

His response is immediate. Yes. We are leaving the dungeon now and going back to the palace.

Change of plans. Bayliss wants you to bring her to the hunting cabin.

It will take some time. The suns have almost set, and the human cannot see well in the dark.

The thought of an unsuspecting Mia spending even a moment alone in the dark forest with my traitorous second makes my stomach churn. Yet there is nothing I can do about that now. Nothing, that is, except trick Dolphus into being her protector for just a bit longer.

Your orders are to deliver the breeding slave unharmed.

I understand, is his reply. Then: I would never deprive Bayliss of the pleasure of ending the human's life.

As I head toward the hunting cabin to confront Bayliss, my muscles taut with tension, I grip the communicator so hard the case cracks.

Dolphus' undisputable loyalty to Bayliss has sealed his fate. He will die by my sword this night. How he treats Mia will determine whether his death is quick or tortured.

The path ahead is still somewhat lit, but the shadows of deceit loom ever darker. A reckoning is ahead, one that will shape the destiny of my reign, for better or for worse. And the stakes of battle have never been higher.