Chapter 13

Chapter

Thirteen

MIRANDA

“ W here are we going?”

Govek’s steps were heavy, his breathing was hard. She couldn’t see his face, but based on how tense his back was, Miranda suspected his expression was impressive.

“I can see sparks coming out of your ears, Govek,” she said, a desperate and failed attempt to lighten the mood as she struggled to keep up with his gait. “Govek, your house is that way, so what are we?—”

“Not my fucking house anymore,” he snarled, even as his steps slowed for her. She managed to catch her breath as he said, “We’re going to the fucking storeroom and taking every Fades-blasted thing and leaving this wretched place.”

“Okay. You sure we should make that decision right now?” Miranda asked, catching up to his side so she could see his expression. His eyes glittered with unchecked fury, jaw still tight around his tusks, a muscle in his cheek twitched. “Where would we go?”

“I don’t fucking know,” he admitted with a pain wrecked snarl that made her chest ache. “But it won’t be anywhere near this clan or my father or my cousin. I’ll build you a house near the mists and we’ll cut ties with every blasted— fuck !”

“Near the mists?” Miranda pressed, but he didn’t answer, only slowed his steps further. “Govek, tell me more. Talk to me.”

He finally looked at her full on and the desperation in his eyes made her stop. She pulled at his hand and forced him to stop with her. “Govek...”

“They ordered me to my fucking death, Miranda.”

Her stomach churned, but she managed to stay silent.

“My father ordered me to Estwill to retrieve women who he claimed wanted to live here even after I told him it would get me slaughtered . Even after I explained how wretched Estwill had become. That human city is a stronghold for the Waking Order now, and he expected me to just walk up to them without any aid. I would have been killed on sight at best. Brutally tortured at worst. And not one of the males in this clan gave a single shit. Not one of them said a word in my defense.”

Miranda squeezed his hand tight.

He looked down at her hand in his grip. “And why should they have? I’ve done nothing but cause strife and fear. They were likely thankful I was gone. And now Karthoc wants me to fucking lead them? He thinks I could be capable? He’s insane for believing that they would ever follow a single Fades-fucked thing I ever said.”

Miranda reached up to soothe his jaw, massaging it into relaxing. Govek squeezed his eyes shut. “And if I don’t, what then? Rove Wood Clan disbands? They are forced to join Karthoc’s forge because of me? Thousands of years of peace and power all destroyed because of me ?”

He looked so shattered it broke her. Miranda placed her hands to the side of his head, stroked his face. She didn’t know how else to soothe him.

“I must be fucking fated to bring ruin to this clan,” Govek said, his voice hollow. “An abomination of the Fades who brings naught but destruction.”

“Govek!”

The roar had them both looking up, and the warlord was barreling toward them so fast that Miranda had the sudden urge to flee.

“Fuck, Govek,” Karthoc spat. “I didn’t expect you to bolt . What in Fades?”

“What were you thinking, Karthoc?” Govek snarled.

“For fuck’s sake, you already knew this mantel would fall upon you when we found Tavggol’s—” Karthoc stopped, straightening his spine as Govek balled his fists. “You want to challenge me, Govek? Cousin or not, I will accept.”

Miranda started to panic. She had no idea what to do. She didn’t want to leave Govek’s side but she didn’t want to be caught between the massive brawling inhuman males either.

Thankfully, Govek cooled off at that. “I want nothing from you, Karthoc,” Govek snapped, turning on his heel, snatching up Miranda’s hand and pulling her along.

“For fuck’s sake, Govek. I thought you would want this!” Karthoc stormed after them, “Those miserable wretches have looked down on your talents all your life, this is your chance to?—”

“What talents ?” Govek snarled, still not slowing, though he glanced to check on Miranda. She worked to keep her breathing steady, not particularly wanting to slow down either. “The ones that make me a fucking blight on this clan?”

“What kind of blight provides more than half the meat? What blight protects the clan from ruthless predators? What blight seeks retribution for an honored member? No other member of this fucking clan had the balls to join my forces and return Tavggol’s body.”

Govek was like a glass under a boulder, shuddering, cracking, ready to shatter. And Miranda wasn’t certain she could put him back together after he was crushed to dust.

“Your strength and magic make you mighty . They make you stronger and better than anyone else here,” Karthoc raged. “More than half of my warriors can no longer commune with the Fades! The other half hardly bear it. And now the Fades have gifted us warrior males who can not only commune but can conjure . Who can wield the Fades gifts for the better! Who can fight against the Waking Order and render them asunder once and for all.”

“So, I’m to be a weapon for you, then?” Govek raged, whirling about to face his cousin again. “You intend to use me and all these males for your own gains?”

“For the gain of all orcs!” Karthoc roared, making Miranda jump and skitter behind Govek. “This war threatens us all!”

“You’re blustering fools.”

The words cut like a slice of lightning through Miranda’s brain, but when she released Govek’s arm the sensation evaporated leaving an odd numbness at the corners of her thoughts. Her panic over the fight had ebbed slightly.

It ebbed more when she saw that Govek and Karthoc were no longer at each other’s throats. They staggered away from each other, palms to foreheads.

Karthoc recovered first and rounded on the orc who had approached them. “Use that magic on me again, Evythiken, and I will slaughter you where you stand, seer or no.”

“I’d like to see you make the attempt,” the orc said without the intensity, but Miranda was still struck dumb.

Though he couldn’t have been any older than Govek, this male gave off an intense aura and was not like any of the others she’d seen.

He was white, or at least extremely pale green. He had no hair, just a smooth bald head. His jaw was untucked, and his teeth were long, sharper than the burley Karthoc’s or even Govek’s. His frame was slender beneath deep violet robes. And his eyes were white. Not a hint of a pupil. Blind.

This was the seer.

“I came to tell you that Chief Ergoth is spouting off in the hall, Karthoc. You’re going to want to do something about it, or it’s going to lead to chaos.”

“Fuck,” Karthoc snarled, glancing at Govek. “I’m not through with this.”

“You should be,” the seer said firmly. “You’re not getting any further with him today.”

“I know how to handle my own kin, Seer,” Karthoc snarled.

Miranda gulped hard, wrung her hands, and withheld the urge to bombard the seer with questions.

“Go much further and Govek is going to leave.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Govek, what is he saying?”

Govek said nothing, but a muscle in his jaw ticked.

“He plans to take his woman and go. Into the woods somewhere. You will not be able to find him. His skills as a hunter are fueled by his magic and are far superior to anything you or your warriors could track.”

“Is this true, Govek? You plan to abandon your clan and kin?”

The seer snorted. “Can’t abandon wretches who gave you up first.”

There was an unsettling silence that followed as Govek curled in on himself and Karthoc registered the information.

The tension was so thick that Miranda turned her eyes away. She wanted to look at the seer, but his intensity was too much. He was like the blinding rays of the sun, warm and inviting from a distance but too hot to look at directly.

Instead, she turned toward a large building on her left. Half of it was carved into the tree and the other half was a log cabin structure built along the outside. Windows lined the edges, and the door was only twenty feet away.

It opened and Viravia stepped out.

Miranda only had enough time to see the pregnant woman’s eyes go huge as she took in the sight of the three orcs conversing before fleeing back into the room. She shut the door silently behind her.

Miranda quirked an amused smile.

“Fine,” Karthoc said slowly. “I will let this be for now. But don’t go doing anything stupid, Govek. If you leave, if you refuse the position you were born to take, you will regret it.”

“Is that a challenge, Karthoc?” Govek snarled, his voice so deep Miranda felt it rumbling in her soul.

“No,” Karthoc said. “Not a challenge, simply fair warning. If you leave before we speak again, I will tell every orc clan this side of the mountains not to harbor you. You will find no friends, no aid, not even a fucking scrap of food will be thrown your way. I will see to it that if you abandon this clan, the rest of your kind will abandon you too.”

Miranda’s stomach twisted and Govek went so tense next to her his body was quaking.

“You have a quarter moon to decide. That is as long as I can stomach these miserable woods,” Karthoc snarled. “I suggest you make the right choice.”

Then Karthoc pushed past them, storming off loudly toward the hall.

“Who are you?”

All the hair on Miranda’s body stood up and her eyes ripped to the seer. He regarded her with his milky, unseeing eyes and she couldn’t find her breath let alone her voice. Finaly he said, “You seem… out of place.”

“Yeah, I’m...” Her throat closed. “I need your help.”

“My help?” The seer tipped his head, his white eyes striking and swirling up her thoughts. “Yes. I suppose you do.”

“Miranda,” Govek said warningly, squeezing her upper arm.

But the seer had outstretched his hand and the burning, overwhelming urge to take it slammed into her.

“Miranda, wait.”

She didn’t. She took the seers hand.

Her sight exploded with light.

And her consciousness winked out.