Chapter 22

Chapter

Twenty-Two

MIRANDA

M iranda found herself seated at a table, surrounded by four orcs, three women, two babies, and a clan in boisterous chaos.

The room was warm, bright, and smelled strongly of roasting fish. The three fires boasted massive cauldrons all filled with what seemed to be carrot and trout stew. Only about half the children had settled down to eat and those that were bounced around in their seats, wanting to gobble down their grub as quickly as they could.

"Vaiteg! Get your brothers and come over here to eat!" Estoc roared into the crowd, but the dark green boy ignored his father's command and continued to sprint around the room.

"Sorry," Roenia said. "I guess we'll have to make introductions later."

"That's just fine," Miranda assured her. Savili had just poured a slew of names out so quickly Miranda's head spun. But at least everyone at their table looked very different.

Iytier was the closest to Govek in height, but he was lighter in color, though not as light as Jehvlek, who was slender and had a pointed chin. Estoc was the darkest and was much shorter, but had the most muscle aside from Govek. She tried to repeat the names in her head, but knew that she'd be checking with Govek later.

The newest woman was Jehvlek's mate, and she was the exact opposite of Jehvlek. Short, curvy, and dark complexioned. Her name had been impossible for Miranda's brain to keep hold of, but mostly because when Savili had introduced her, Miranda had gotten distracted by some of the nearby children having a roaring competition. Their faces were so fierce, and their volume couldn't match. So cute.

All the kids were. And so hauntingly familiar to the children on Earth. Happy, innocent.

Miranda's eyes prickled even as a smile played on her lips.

Two twin boys, probably around three years old, ran out of the throngs and clung to Jehvlek's mate. Their dark hair and light green eyes examined Miranda nervously. One dipped his finger into his mother's soup bowl and messily sucked off the liquid.

"Tovis," his mother chided quietly, pushing her utensil into the boy's hand. "Use a spoon, please."

He let out a sigh so gusty that Miranda was instantly thrown back into a memory of Jacob with his dramatic exasperation every time the daycare cleaned up the reading nooks. He liked his spot just so and would spend a long time putting all his pillows in order again. Miranda had always been impressed with Jacob's attention to detail.

Her eyes stung.

"I know it's a lot," Savili said. "Feel free to ask all our names again whenever you need to."

"Oh, I'll need to," Miranda confirmed, blinking the unshed tears away before glancing to the woman holding her twins. "You were... Avery, right?"

"Aralie," she said quietly. "And this is Tovis and Rynen."

"Tovis and Rynen," Miranda said, smiling eagerly at the little ones. Tovis nodded his head, taking a bite far too big for his mouth, and Rynen hid his face in his mother's arm. "They're adorable."

Aralie smiled so sweetly it made Miranda grin. Jehvlek reached over to rustle both his sons' hair before going back to the male conversation. Miranda noted that Aralie looked to Jehvlek often, leaning into him a little for support.

Roenia and Savili, however, barely looked at their males and had chosen to sit next to her and Aralie instead of with their mates on the far opposite end.

Miranda wondered how long each of them had been a part of this clan. Judging by twelve-year-old Vaiteg, she suspected Roenia was very comfortable here.

"All your children are adorable." Miranda looked around at the bustling room. The energy of the hall was completely different now that the children had returned, and Miranda basked in it like a cat in a sun-drenched window, even if it made her sad.

There were probably twenty or more kids under the age of fourteen, all boys, all orc, all incredibly rowdy as they ran around. Some clung to their mothers, others jabbered at friends who were eager to hear their tales, but all ran up and down between the tables. Some were even jumping off Ergoth's platform, though it did earn them a scolding once they were caught.

Miranda clutched Govek's hand and wished she could ask about their ages, and family lives, and routines, and it was stupid because they didn't need childcare here. It was obvious the clan took care of them as a community. Raised them as a unit. Cherished them.

Dang it, she wanted to cherish them too.

Her chest tightened, and uncertainty warred in her gut. She glanced at Govek, squeezed his hand, and he met her eyes for a moment. That one look told her everything.

He was as uncertain as she was.

They'd need to talk this over. She didn't want him forced into the chief position out of guilt over what might happen to the children. That wasn't fair to him.

But she didn't want the children to suffer either.

"Where's Viravia?" Savili asked, drawing Miranda's attention. "I thought she would come with you."

"She said she forgot something at her home," Miranda said.

"Should one of us go check on her?" Aralie asked softly. "I know she's been struggling to get around with the babe so big, and I heard there's a blighted boar stalking the west."

"A boar? I was told it was a wildcat," Savili said.

"It's unlikely to get into the clan, but I will go check if she doesn't show up soon," Roenia said, looking mildly concerned. "Perhaps we should all go. Leave the mates to discuss their fishing. "

"We should get together tomorrow morning too, while they're gone," Savili insisted.

Govek's hand clenched in hers and his eyes slid to her gaze. She patted to reassure him, secretly loving his clinging. "I'll probably go with them."

"You'll go... fishing? Do you fish?" Aralie's brow furrowed. Then the boys slid off her lap and ran off toward another young orc. "Don't get into trouble!" It seemed like a fruitless command to Miranda.

"No, but I like to watch. Govek's so fast I swear it's unreal."

"Well, my skills have gotten better," Iytier said with a confident nod. "I guarantee a good show."

"You want to impress my mate?" Govek went tense against Miranda.

But Iytier wasn't the least bit put off and Miranda couldn't help but smile. "Of course not. I want to impress Savili."

"I'll be impressed if you don't drown , Iytier."

"You wound me, woman!"

Aralie cut in. "Perhaps we could all go?" She looked at Jehvlek.

"Of course." Jehvlek nodded. He was more reserved, but when he spoke it commanded Miranda's full attention. His complexion was so light it reminded her of the seer.

She glanced around. The seer was here, wasn't he? She couldn't decide if she wanted to seek him out and ask for more advice, or slink back home with her tail between her legs. Her heart still ached knowing she would never find out what happened to her babies.

"I guess we're going to have a full day of it then," Roenia said, smiling at Miranda. "Viravia will be sad, but I don't think she'll be able to make the trek to the spring in her state."

"We can bring her back a bunch of fish," Savili said with a confident nod.

"Pretty sure she's tired of fish," Aralie said.

"Has she tried it fried?" Miranda asked, remembering how Govek's mind was completely blown after she'd battered and fried the fish he'd caught them.

"Fried?" Roenia asked.

"It's really good. I could make it for you."

"Woman, be careful with your promises," Govek grumbled, and for a moment, Miranda thought he was going to get jealous that she was offering to cook for other people. "You'll never be rid of them after they've had your cooking."

Miranda grinned. "I'll just teach them to cook."

"So, you're a good cook then, Miranda?" Aralie asked.

"She's incredible," Govek boasted. The earnest tone made Miranda blush.

"I'm not that good."

"I'm horrible at cooking," Savili admitted. "My mother bakes pies for a living and I helped her since I could walk, but the skill just never stuck. One of the draws of joining this clan was that almost all meals are taken in the hall."

"That and your love for me, yes?" Iytier said, narrowing his eyes.

"Eh," Savili said with a shrug, forcing a round of chuckles from the table. Even Govek snorted.

Iytier growled slightly under his breath and Savili looked away, covering her mouth as she whispered into Miranda's ear. "Ooh, I'm going to regret that tonight."

"Or be glad for it," Miranda said .

Savili leaned in as the males began talking among themselves again. The other women leaned in with her. "Glad and dissatisfied at the same time. Why did no one warn me that being intimate was so blooming difficult once you had a babe?"

"Yes," Aralie said mournfully, glancing toward where her twins were playing. "It always seems the moment we're certain we have a stretch alone they wake, or need something, or get into trouble..."

"Count yourself lucky that you're at least out of the ‘must have milk every moment of the day' stage," Roenia said, switching her nursing babe to the opposite side. "It seems this little one will only cease when I'm a dried-up husk."

Miranda pounced. "Oh my gosh. Please let me watch your babies."

The women all blinked at her and Savili spoke first. "Oh Miranda, that's a kind offer, but..."

She glanced at Aralie and the woman said, "We've done this in the past. Switched off watching for each other from time to time, but it doesn't work very well."

"Orc children are notoriously stubborn," Roenia confirmed. "Aralie tried to watch Vaiteg for me when I was heavily pregnant, and it was a nightmare."

"It was," Aralie said with a shake of the head. "They just don't like to listen to anyone but their parents."

"I have plenty of experience with stubborn kids." Miranda was unwilling to let this opportunity pass her up without at least getting a chance. "If you're worried, you can let me host a ‘playdate' and stick around until you're comfortable."

"You're really that confident?" Aralie asked, quietly .

"You keep saying you have experience. Was it an orphanage you worked at?" Roenia asked.

"No, I..." Miranda cut off, unsure of how to explain this. Should she bring up Earth now? Could she manage it without crying? "Let's just say many of the parents where I used to live were busy working and would ask me to watch their children for them while they were away."

"How many at once?" Roenia asked.

"It was ten per caretaker in the toddler rooms. Three per in the infant rooms," Miranda said. "And then twelve to fourteen per when you got into groups of children over five."

"You would take care of fourteen children on your own ?" Aralie asked.

"That must have been madness." Savili shook her head. "I couldn't even fathom it."

"I loved it," Miranda said wistfully. Her throat closed up a bit, and she managed a breath. "Every second."

Govek caught her tone and turned his attention to her. He gave her hand another squeeze.

"Second?" Roenia asked quietly, making Miranda's chest tighten. Her confusion had Miranda realizing this could be the perfect opening. She could and should at least broach the topic of being from somewhere very far away now.

But she waited too long and Estoc, seeming to instantly read the tension, took a bite of his stew and loudly proclaimed. "Fucking fish again. Maybe we should have a hunting challenge instead. Govek, you've been in the clan for days. Why haven't you been bringing us some actual meat?"

Tension fell over the table. The friendly nature turned a little awkward. The knowledge that Govek was the only hunter for this clan but still considered an outcast, and the animal torture allegations that had only just been disproved, hung heavily in the silence.

Miranda, determined to end the discomfort, spoke a little too quick and loud. "Govek's been far too busy giving me his meat to go hunting."

Savili choked on her stew.

The rest of the table was stunned into silence for a moment before breaking into laughter and exclamations, though none quite as loud as Govek.

"Woman, you will be the end of me." Govek laughed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fuck."

She grinned at him, satisfaction working to quell her embarrassment. Everyone at their table was back to smiling, though she noted that Aralie and Jehvlek were looking at Govek's grin with shock.

It dawned on Miranda then that perhaps Aralie was nervous about being around Govek. Was that why she was clinging to Jehvlek? Judging from her clenched hands and wide eyes, Miranda suspected that was the case. She knew Govek's reputation wouldn't be changed in a single night.

But dang, she'd hoped it would.

She took a moment to glance around the room and found that, thankfully, no one else in the clan was looking at them. The stares that had been pressing when they'd first entered were absent now, and no one even glanced their way as their chatter continued.

And then her eyes found his.

The seer's.

Her stomach clenched, and she almost looked away before she remembered he was blind . There was no way for him to see her staring at him.

He was seated at a table with Sythcol and a few other conjurers, judging by their black hands. He chatted with them casually, and Miranda wished she knew what about.

And then he bid them goodbye, rising from the table.

"Miranda."

Govek's clipped word brought her out of her stupor. "S-sorry. I got distracted."

Govek's expression was flat and unhappy as he looked between her and the seer, who was now busing his plate.

But what Govek thought didn't matter. This was about her and the seer, the reason she survived Earth's apocalypse, the reason she was brought to Faeda.

And she realized in that moment that even if the seer couldn't tell her what she wanted to know about her babies, she was still bound to him in ways she couldn't understand. The pull was still there. The drive to be near him. To touch his hand and force him to work out her secret.

Ready or not, it would happen soon.