Chapter 24

Chapter

Twenty-Four

MIRANDA

H is skin was scalding . It pulled at hers, stuck to her like glue. She couldn't wrench away even if she had wanted to.

She didn't want to. A shiver rolled up Miranda's spine and burst at the base of her skull. Flashes of Earth pierced through her. It was like she was there.

There were the skyscrapers that loomed above her as she walked from the bus stop to the bank for her morning shift. The blaring car sirens. The smell of exhaust and hot pavement.

The smell of stale coffee in the break room at the bank where Miranda had raided the employee fridge for snacks.

The droning clack of computers as the tellers worked away. Pleasant conversation wafting down the hall from the lobby. Mr. Barker had let Ashley take lunch early with Grace.

More sirens .

Sirens so loud and long Miranda felt them vibrating in her eardrums.

Mr. Barker yanked her down the bank stairs to the vault. Shoved her inside. Screamed at her. "You wait here! I'll be right back with Nichole!"

The memory came back in a flash of pure white light.

Nichole. His granddaughter, who was working as a barista at the coffee shop across the street.

He'd left to go get her. He'd sworn he would be right back .

But he never came back.

And then the bombing began.

Her mind flooded with that white light again. A fog soaked into every corner of her mind.

The mist.

The sight of the barren desolate wastes after she'd somehow escaped the ventilation shaft flashed. The crumbled buildings. The mangled cars. Everything was charred and ashen and pungent with the scent of smoke and baking chemicals.

And Earth, her planet, it was gone. Gone .

"Miranda!"

She snapped out of her mind and back into the present world so violently it felt like drowning. The air was too different, too clean, the voices were too low and rumbly. The smell of smoke and fish was strong and curled in her stomach. Bile climbed up her throat.

"You are not of Faeda."

"Get the fuck away from her."

"Govek, calm down! Look. She's fine !"

She barely registered the words spoken so loudly. The growling voices dimmed as she managed back to her senses. She was held up against warmth. A chest.

Govek's chest. She was back with Govek. On Faeda.

Miranda's head pounded, and her eyes watered, but she looked up at Govek. He was baring his teeth at someone, sharp dripping fangs. She reached up to touch the side of his mouth. "Y-you can put me down."

"No," Govek snarled into her ear and she shuddered again. Put her arms around his neck.

"I'm okay," she whispered, a desperate attempt to reassure him. She wanted to reassure herself too.

"Evythiken," Karthoc roared hand on his head. The seer barely flinched. "What the fuck was that?"

The sentiment was repeated by everyone around, questions and shock rippled through the crowd.

Miranda's heart twisted as she noticed most of the kids running back to their parents, faces pale. A few were crying. Some orcs seemed dizzy. Others simply stared at her with wide eyes.

Her gaze moved to the group she'd been getting acquainted with. They looked equally disheveled. Aralie, in particular, was pale and shivering. Her boys were tucked into her body, hiding their faces. Her mate had her tight against his side.

Before Miranda could find her words, Savili stammered, bouncing Haysik. "Are... uh—are you all right?"

"I'm . . . fine."

The woman gulped, opened her mouth, closed it, and looked to her mate.

"Miranda," Roenia called from the other side of the table. "Are you... really from that other world?"

Oh fuck. Miranda's gut twisted as she noted how many eyes were on her. Not just from their group, but from the entire clan.

She looked up to Govek, and he leaned in close. "Evythiken projected. "

"Projected?" she whispered, resting her forehead against Govek's face. She felt so heavy.

"I apologize." Evythiken said soft and low. "It was... not intentional."

"We saw it in our minds," Govek murmured. "The way you saw it in your own."

Oh fuck .

"What the fuck are you doing?" Karthoc's roar made Miranda jump and her heart exploded into a frantic rhythm.

But he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at... Miranda turned her head to find Karthoc's glare was narrowed on Ergoth, who was at the very end of the table, a few steps away from the long bench that she'd been sitting on.

"What am I doing? What is she doing with the seer? What was that ?"

"Don't try to deflect," Karthoc said, pointing a massive threatening finger as he charged over to the male. To Ergoth's credit, he did manage to stand his ground. "I saw you push the bench and knock her over."

Miranda felt Govek tense, and she quickly worked to soothe him. "I'm okay."

"Ha! You think I would do something so petty?" Ergoth snorted. "Your bad opinion of me is unfair, my nephew. And even if I had bumped it by mistake, I could never have moved it with so many seated upon it."

That seemed logical. The bench spanned nearly thirty feet and had five other orcs sitting on it aside from their group.

"Quiet."

Evythiken's words flattened the room, dulled it like he'd smothered everyone in a blanket. Even the colors seemed distorted, muted. Miranda clung to Govek, confusion coursed through her overtaxed mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and welcomed the dark.

"You are not of Faeda, Miranda," Evythiken said, his voice crisp, clear. She forced her eyes open again and found him in front of her, breathing hard. "By the will of Fades, what was that?"

Miranda gulped, mouth dry, throat closed, but the word came anyway. "War."

"War," Evythiken repeated.

"My world was Earth," she said slowly. Govek's hands moved up her arms, steadied her, cleaving her to his chest. "I lived on a planet called Earth, and we killed it. With war."

Evythiken hissed and braced himself on the table. A million voices sounded at once.

"Silence!" Karthoc hollered again, and the venom caused quiet to descend. "Govek, explain this."

"It is as she says. She is not of Faeda."

"Where the fuck did you find her?"

"She fell out of the sky before my eyes."

More whispers, too many. Miranda's head spun, and she watched the seer gasp as he clutched at his head and shivered in agony. His muscles bunched, he was twitching, and tears flooded her eyes. He'd witnessed the horrors she'd seen. She'd forced them on him.

On everyone .

"Hush," Govek said near her ear, and she shut her eyes again to soak up his comfort. "Let's go somewhere quiet."

She nodded eagerly.

"We cannot go." Evythiken's voice rang out, and for a second, Miranda thought he was ordering her and Govek to stay, but instead, the seer turned to Karthoc. "We cannot go ."

"Enough with this seer," Karthoc snapped. "We will speak of it later."

" We cannot leave the Rove Woods! " Evythiken slammed his hand down on the table and cups clattered. One bowl slipped off the edge and splattered on the stone floor. Stew and ceramic exploded in thick droplets and sharp shards.

"I have told you, Karthoc. Too many times. Far too many. But now you must listen. This is a sign . The Fades brought her here to show me this." Evythiken drew all the attention in the room. Miranda could feel the eyes leave her and finally she managed to take a full breath. "We are meant to be under this Great Tree. In the Rove Woods. The Fades want us here , so they can complete their work."

"I ask you again," Karthoc demanded, storming over to the male. "Here and now in front of these witnesses. What fucking work ? You spout about it day and night, driving me daft with your demands to bring my legions here. To call the clans to settle in the Rove Woods. To tell our overlord to gather his thousands of orcs, give up fighting for our lives, and retreat to this Great Tree, but why ?"

"I don't know! I don't know! They just keep screaming at me !" Evythiken's voice broke, his body shook, and his hands grasped his head. " They won't stop screaming !"

"For fuck's sake! You want me to drive our overlord to stop fighting for our fucking lives without just cause? Without any reason ? How can I tell any of my males to simply sit and allow the Waking Order to slaughter them? You see how mad that is, don't you?"

"They can't reach here," Evythiken insisted. "The Waking Order cannot breach the Rove Woods."

"Explain. How ?" Karthoc demanded, face contorted, spitting rage. "The Waking Order knows of this place. They will come. They will burn it. There is no one to stop them except for my warriors . The Fades won't help us. Nothing can help us . We must fight!"

"We can't!" Evythiken pleaded. Still writhing, knees buckling, bracing his weight on the table. "We can't . We have to end the war, or our world will be destroyed . Just like hers. "

Miranda's stomach dropped, and her eyes grew hazy.

Govek swung her up into his arms and carried her out of the hall. The continued fighting between Karthoc and the seer followed them out the door. The words banged around in her head, beating against every corner of her mind, spilling acid into her marrow.

Our world will be destroyed.

"Miranda, look at me."

Govek set her down on a rock near the edge of the path. Thankfully, everyone who'd been outside had already gone into the hall. They were alone, and she collapsed all over again.

"Miranda," he said, soothing, desperate. "Miranda, come back."

"I am." She sobbed. "I am back." And fuck, she wished she wasn't. She wished this was just another one of her episodes. That what she'd seen and heard in that hall were only delusions. Conjurings from her mind. That she could focus on the present, on the woods and the clean soil, and the rumble of water and the twitter of birds and know that the horrors she experienced on Earth hadn't been real.

But they had been.

"I can't be your savior." Her voice caught. "I don't know what to do. Govek, I don't know what I should do ."

"You don't have to do anything, Miranda," Govek said, cupping her face, pulling her into his chest.

She knew he was wrong. God, she wished he wasn't. But the pull to speak to the seer was still hot in her gut and her hand trembled with the need to take his.

It wasn't done. The compulsion to seek out the seer hadn't abated yet.

"It's not fair." She curled into Govek's arms and tucked her face in his neck. "I don't understand."

"I know," he said, solid and unwavering. "I don't either. But I am here. We are together. We will figure it out, side by side."

His vow made so much of the tension in her chest ease. Her head lightened. Her lips quivered. "What do we do now?"

Govek was quiet a long moment. "Evythiken can figure it out on his own."

Miranda went still at that. She pulled away to look him in the eyes. "What?"

"Evythiken is the seer in this. He's the only one who can speak with the Fades." Govek stroked his warm hands down her arms to clasp her own. "He doesn't need you. You don't have to contact him again."

It was such a simple, straightforward response that Miranda found herself laughing. "What? But aren't I supposed to do what the Fades command? "

Govek snorted. "Miranda, I know you well enough to be certain that you won't follow any commands you don't agree with. Even if they are delivered by the divine. You are far too stubborn and opinionated."

Miranda chuckled wryly, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Wow, thanks."

Govek cupped her face again. The gold in his green eyes glistened in the dappled light. "I love every one of your stubborn opinions, Miranda. I would gladly follow them right to my doom."

"Oh god," she laughed. "That shouldn't be comforting. Why is that comforting?"

"Because you love me," he said, making her laugh again at the arrogance smoothing his brow and curling his lips. "And because you know it means we are in this together. No matter the cost, Miranda, I will always be at your side."

She crumbled and wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight, surrounded herself with his warmth and light. "I love you."

"I love you, Miranda," he whispered into her hair.

"Miranda?"

Miranda sat upright and found Viravia standing on her stoop just twenty or so feet away.

Man, Govek really picked a spot, didn't he?

The woman took one look at Miranda's tears. "Come in here, both of you."

"Miranda!"

She looked the other way and saw Savili, Roenia, and Aralie quickly approaching. Roenia still had her baby in her arms.

A baby who'd had to see Earth's horrors because of her. All those children in the hall had.. .

"I can take you home, if you prefer," Govek assured quietly.

"No, I..." Miranda's stomach twisted. This wasn't how she wanted Earth to come up at all . But she supposed it was done now. And it was better not to run away. "It's only going to be worse if I put it off."

Govek nodded slowly and helped Miranda to her feet, dusting her off.

"C-come into Viravia's house," Miranda called to the pale women before looking at Viravia. "If that's okay."

"Of course, come, come." Viravia waved them all inside. In a few moments, the door was shut firmly behind them and they were all huddled in the warm living room of the tree home. "What is going on? Is everything all right?"

Before anyone could answer Viravia, Savili threw her arms around Miranda in a tight hug.

Miranda stood as still as a boulder, eyes wide, mouth dry. "Uh... Savili?"

"Was your world really destroyed like that? With fire?"

Of all the questions Miranda expected, that wasn't one of them.

Miranda's throat closed up again, but she managed to say, "Y-yes."

Aralie rushed in next, embracing Miranda from the left.

"Her world? What?" Viravia asked quietly and Roenia pulled her aside, spoke to her in low, hushed tones, filling her in without interruption.

Miranda was so grateful her eyes filled with tears again and her chest grew tight and a little choked sob left her, making the women embrace her more. The warmth and strength and sheer power exuding from the women soaked into Miranda. It was like nothing she'd ever known .

Govek touched her back, his massive hand covering it and Miranda's finally let her tears fall. Her chest heaved and her vision blurred but the support was still there. Viravia took her hand. Roenia rested her palm on Miranda's shoulders. They were all around her. They wrapped her up so tight she truly felt nothing could harm her again. Nothing.

They stood there for eons, and Miranda's tears dried up. Her exhaustion turned to stillness. Her sorrow turned to quiet relief. Her world shifted, and these strangers shifted too, taking on roles in Miranda's life that had never been filled. Places in her heart that were so foreign and that had been left vacant for so long, she did not even have names for them.

Eventually, they all managed to move to the couches and settled down in silence. Govek pulled her into his lap. Viravia held her hands. The other women surrounded them, murmuring soothing words and patting her until Miranda found her voice.

"I'm . . . sorry I didn't tell?—"

"No. Don't. How could one even begin with that?"

"We are as strange to you as you are to us, Miranda." Savili kneeled down next to her and stroked her knee.

"No one expected you to just come out with that right off." Roenia stood behind Savili and adjusted her babe, flexing her arm slightly. "Well, perhaps some in the clan would. But they aren't worth space in your mind."

"We'll make sure they don't bother you." Aralie's eyes were red rimmed and her voice was thick. She sat next to Viravia and rubbed Miranda's shoulder gently. "Hilva, mostly. Right?"

Savili nodded. "Yes, Hilva's been such a chore. If she bothers you, Miranda, you just tell us and we'll shoo her off like the gnat she is."

Miranda huffed out a choked laugh, and she felt Govek stroke her hair.

Roenia said, "You know, this explains a lot of mysteries we've been puzzling over." Miranda tipped her head at the woman as she shifted the baby again. "Viravia told us all about your newborn and bottle advice. Knowledge that not one of us had. Not even Aralie, and her mother is the midwife at Oakwall."

"Yes," Aralie agreed. "My mother would love to talk to you, I'm sure. It sounds like you have so much knowledge to add."

Miranda shifted and nodded slowly.

"Look," Savili gave her knee another tight squeeze, "We all saw and heard what happened in the hall. It's pretty clear why the seer thinks you're here." She met Miranda's eyes solidly. "But that doesn't mean your only worth is tied up in that insanity."

Miranda blinked, tightness ebbing from her chest.

"Yes," Roenia said, adjusting her squirming baby in her arms. "You are your own person. Just because the Fades brought you here, doesn't mean you don't get to exist on your own terms. Take up your own place."

Miranda licked her dry lips. "I don't even know what place I should take."

"You already have one." Viravia squeezed her hands again.

"Yes," Aralie agreed, her eyes hesitantly landing on Govek before they skittered away.

"And you have plenty of time to figure out the rest, Miranda," Savili assured her .

"Fades, being companion to an orc is the only useful place for any of us mates, really," Roenia said with a wave of her hand. "Take me, for example. I can't cook. I can't do craftwork. Blast, I can't even stitch up a hole in a shirt. But I can love my babies and keep Estoc in check. No one here expects any more from me. And we don't expect more from you either, Miranda."

"That's right," Aralie said with a confident nod. "The males can keep the war. If all you want to do is dole out nursing advice and help keep the peace, that's wonderful." She slid her hesitant gaze to Govek again.

"Yeah, that's plenty ," Viravia gushed. "No offense, Govek."

Govek snorted with amusement and Miranda shot him a little smile. One that made Govek's face crumble. He kissed the top of her head.

"So tomorrow." Miranda tensed, turning her attention to Savili. "At the fishing competition, we're going to focus on nothing but getting you familiar with the clan." Miranda blinked.

"We'll talk about our holiday celebrations, the communion, how the trades work, what all the orcs names are."

"Only the important ones," Aralie assured her.

Roenia snorted. "Don't bother yourself too much with it, Miranda. I've lived here for nearly fourteen years, and I still don't know half the orc's names."

Viravia's brows rose. "Are you serious?"

"What's the point? They all sound the same. Just call everyone dear like everybody else does." Roenia shifted her babe to the other arm .

Miranda smiled, amused that she was being given that advice again.

Savili continued. "And then in the evening, you can tell us how to make this fried fish you were talking about, or we can show you one of our own recipes."

"And give you food poisoning," Roenia muttered, earning a glare from Savili. "Don't look at me like that. None of us are good cooks."

"I'm not that bad," Savili countered.

"I can manage to boil things at least." Viravia looked equally affronted. "Throw in the fish and some vegetables and that's stew, right?"

The earnest tone of Viravia's question caught Miranda off guard, and she laughed. The tension inside her eased tremendously.

"I'll teach you to make fried fish."

"Thank Fades," Govek muttered under his breath and Miranda burst into laughter again. The other women laughed too.

"That's cruel, Govek," Viravia said to Govek. "You've never had my cooking."

"I've smelled it," Govek muttered and the woman gasped.

"Oh, that's it." Viravia grinned even as she was affronted, "I'm going to cook tomorrow too and the males who win this fishing competition get Miranda's fried fish and the one who loses eats my slop—er, I mean, my stew ."

Miranda's smile made her cheeks hurt.

"We're going to end up with enough fish to last the winter," Govek said.

"You want to make that the new challenge?" Roenia teased, adjusting her baby again .

"Fuck, no."

Miranda swallowed. "Could I hold him, Roenia?"

The woman's response was instant. "Of course! Thank you. My arms are dying. This little one is such a cuddler."

Miranda lifted the warm, content baby into her arms, cradling his head in the crook of her elbow. His green face was smooth, his long dark lashes cast shadows on his cheeks. He cooed contentedly as Miranda got him settled in.

"He's so beautiful," Miranda said, looking into the pure face of the sleeping babe. Innocent, unblemished, and perfect. His life was just starting. His journey had only begun. "Thank you. So much."

The women's faces reflected a world of warmth and acceptance that Miranda had never thought she would receive so quickly. That she hadn't imagined she would ever have in her life. It filled her up, split her face in a smile, and flooded her eyes with fresh tears.

Viravia took Miranda's hand again, her own eyes misty. "Thank you , Miranda. And welcome to Rove Wood Clan."