Chapter 34

Chapter

Thirty-Four

MIRANDA

" J ust breathe." Miranda's hands trembled as she dug them into the soft, damp ground. Her sinuses flooded as she tried not to sob. "Breathe, Viravia."

The woman's cry rose and she writhed as the contraction spiked through her. Miranda braced against the cliffside as Viravia lost her senses, threatening to roll them both off the tiny shelf of dirt they'd landed on. It was barely large enough to fit Viravia and Miranda was forced to claw into the cliffside. She dug her toes into the crevices between slippery rocks. The water raged fifteen feet below them, bellowing mist. The rocks and boulders were jagged, threatening instant death if she lost her grip.

The contraction eased and Viravia gasped and sobbed. Miranda leaned against her, trying to give her own muscles a moment to relax.

"I'm sorry," Miranda choked on the words. She couldn't cry now. She needed to concentrate. "I'm sorry I pushed you."

"I-it's all right," Viravia gasped, eyes squeezed shut. "Better that than eaten."

Miranda let out a half chuckle despite herself. The wild cat had fallen but she couldn't get a good enough grip to look and ensure it was gone. What if it was climbing up behind them? What if it was getting closer?

Miranda clenched her jaw. She couldn't panic now. The cat must have fallen. It must have been battered by the rocks. Taken downstream.

Just like they would if she didn't keep hold?—

Viravia screamed as another contraction hit her. This damn baby was coming too fucking fast .

"Govek!" Miranda screamed again, bellowing into the air around her. "If you don't fucking come right now, I'll never forgive you!"

She wouldn't have a chance to even try to forgive him because she would be dead.

Tears coursed down Viravia's cheeks. "I didn't trick Tavggol."

Miranda warred between the need to know and telling the woman to conserve her energy.

"I knew of the Rove Woods." Viravia shuddered. "From... Karthoc. I knew it would be safe for..." She touched her stomach and tears streamed from her eyes. "I just couldn't let him die like I knew his father would. Bloody and battle crazed in a hopeless war. They would both leave me. I couldn't... I wasn't strong enough to... you understand? Please, Miranda, you have to..."

"Hush," Miranda said softly. She wished she could squeeze the woman's hand, wipe the sweat from her face, soothe her with a caress. But she was too busy convincing her muscles not to give out. The rocks under her feet were crumbling. "I understand."

She did. Miranda knew the lengths she would go to save the ones she loved.

"Tavggol knew. I told him everything in the outer woods before he took me back to the clan. He was so kind. He treated me as a sister." She broke off, sobbing, unable to breathe. And then a contraction hit her, and Miranda pushed against her with all the force she could, desperate to keep her from writhing off the cliffside.

"Breathe!" It was the only advice she knew to give a laboring woman. "Just breathe, it will pass. Govek, please ."

"Oh Fades," Viravia pleaded as the contraction ebbed. "Hear me, I beg you. Forgive me for all I have done. Please spare my son!"

Her wailing broke Miranda. She wanted to thrash the gods that had led them to this. Vent her fury at them. How dare they put her through this? Her and Viravia both. How dare they ?

"Miranda!"

Relief struck, and she nearly lost her grip on the slippery rocks "G-Govek!" Her voice broke, tears flooded her eyes, and she couldn't get out another word.

" Fuck !" He was right there. She couldn't look up without the risk of slipping, but she could feel him. Moving above her. "Hang on! Don't you fucking let go."

"Wasn't planning to," she snapped, irritated and amused and so fucking grateful he'd made it. "Hurry up!"

"Ovinia! "

The roar was so potent and loud that Miranda couldn't tell what orc had bellowed it.

Viravia's eyes snapped wide. "No! No, he can't !"

"Karthoc, what the fuck are you?—!"

Something slammed next to Miranda, and she lost her grip. She screamed, arms cartwheeling as she desperately tried to stay mounted. The raging of the river flooded her mind.

Someone gripped her arm, and she was yanked back, pressed into the muddy cliff then jerked upward by her wrist.

"Get her, Govek!"

More hands dragged her up. Into warmth. A chest. Her terror exploded as the scent of musky pine flooded her nose. She burst into sobs, going almost completely limp.

"Hush," Govek said into her hair. He clung to the cliffside with one arm and cradled her in the other. She gripped his neck so tight it was a wonder he could still breathe. "I have you. Hold tight. I need both hands to climb."

"V-Viravia," she managed as he climbed up.

"Karthoc has her," Govek said, and Miranda buried her face in his neck. He made quick work of the climb and finally, blessedly, they made it over the edge. Over the log. He carried her to safety. Away from the falls. Away from certain doom. "Hush, Miranda. I have you. You're safe."

She clung to him, refusing to budge, digging her nails into his back.

"I need to check you," Govek demanded, running his hands along her body. "Are you hurt? Are you wounded? Let me look. Let me see."

She refused, only tightened her grip and buried her nose in his neck and sobbed the way she'd wanted to since she'd first seen the cat.

"I was so scared," she wailed and Govek stopped trying to check her and hugged her tight instead. "I was so scared."

"I'm sorry." His breath was hot against the top of her head. "I'm sorry. I should have been faster. I shouldn't have left you. I'm sorry."

"Don't ever leave again!"

"I won't. I won't," he vowed, clinging, "Fuck, I love you."

"Let me go!"

Miranda came back to her senses as Viravia's furious scream blared over the raging of the falls. She jerked her head up to find the laboring woman scratching and clawing at Karthoc as he carried her over the log to safety. The male's jaw trembled. His breathing was labored. His face was contorted as if he were trying to hold back tears.

"Ovinia," he breathed. "I found you."

"Get away from me!" Viravia snapped and pounded her fists against his chest and tried to claw at his face. Karthoc grabbed her wrists to stop her, though the hold was so light and tender she ripped out of it a second later.

"Put me down now!"

"I have to get you to a healer," Karthoc said, his voice thick. "The babe is?—"

"He's not yours! He's not fucking yours!" Viravia snapped.

"Ovinia—"

"That isn't my name!" She wailed, though her fight was ebbing. "Let me go. You have to let me go."

Karthoc's face grew tight, stricken, he shook with the force of his emotions before he said low, " Viravia , I can scent that he is mine." Viravia sobbed even harder and Karthoc shuddered, stroking her face. "And you are my mate. My light. I would raise a thousand of your babes sired by other orcs and men if it meant I won you."

Viravia went still for a moment, eyes wide as the words soaked into her. And then she began to sob again, then cried out as a contraction hit her.

She writhed and Karthoc was forced to lower her down, kneeling at her side. He gripped her hand as she worked through the agony. "You are strong." He brushed her hair out of her face. "You are brave. You can do this."

"Karthoc! I found the saber cat!"

Brovdir burst into the clearing. The poor male skittered to a halt, taking in the scene—a woman screaming in labor on the ground, Karthoc looming over her, and Govek clinging to Miranda, everyone caked in mud and grime.

"I-I?—"

"You found the saber cat? Where?" Govek snapped and Miranda was instantly tense. Oh god, what if it came after them again?

"Yes," Brovdir said. "It's dead. Downstream. Battered to death on the rocks."

Relief flattened her.

"Downstream and battered . . . Miranda?"

She looked up into Govek's terror-stricken face and she forced herself to explain. "I-it charged us and... and..."

He snarled. "Did it touch you? Are you hurt?"

Miranda shook her head as he looked her over again. "It ran past. It fell, but we did too. Oh god."

He crushed her to him again. She relished it. The heat of him. The pine smell .

"How dare Ergoth do this?" Govek snarled so low and deadly Miranda shuddered. What did Ergoth have to do with this?

"Get away," Viravia said to Karthoc, trying to push him away again. "Don't touch me."

"We must get you to the healer," Karthoc begged but he did pull his hands away from her. "Let me lift you."

"Don't touch me!" the woman wailed before screaming in pain as another contraction descended.

"Let me," Brovdir said, low, thick. Karthoc rounded on his brother as if he were going to challenge him.

"Let him! Brovdir, please take me," Viravia begged and Karthoc's face crumbled so piteously Miranda felt her own eyes prickle.

The male trembled, unable to speak. He nodded to his brother and Brovdir scooped her up in an instant, running down the hill at a faster clip than Miranda thought was safe.

"She told me she hated the war."

Karthoc's voice was devoid of emotion, his eyes fixed to the place where Brovdir had disappeared.

"She told me she wanted me to stop fighting. I laughed at her. Called her a..." Karthoc shuddered, raked a hand over his face. "I said horrible things to her. Vile threats. She left me after... I never knew she was with child ."

"Would that have changed your mind?" Miranda asked, as Govek's grip tightened around her. "If she'd said she was pregnant, would that have changed your mind about the war?"

Karthoc's face twisted, but he didn't find words. And he didn't need to. She could see the truth in his dark eyes. Back then, it would have done nothing. He was too drenched in power. Soaked through with blood and pride .

He turned away and stormed down the hill after his brother.

Miranda cleaved to Govek, closing her eyes as she tried to think.

Govek nuzzled the top of her head and carried her down the hill without a word.