Chapter 3

Orzesh

The skinny little blond guard fastened the shackles around my ankles and wrists. He was scared, but that wasn”t what had caught my attention. Something about him was off. I didn”t know what. He was no threat to me. Even shackled with no weapon, I could crack his skull open. But I”d spent years assessing enemies in battle and watching while our diplomats negotiated with them. The way his eyes darted around, his body moved. He acted like a Larivian plains hyena looking for vulnerable animals to catch. Sneaky and dishonorable. Maybe I”d clonk him on the head as I escaped.

I followed the guards to wherever they were taking me. Best not to argue and get thrown in solitary. I took in the details of the corridors as we walked. Timing it. There was only one metal gate that would be a problem. The gate that prisoners weren”t allowed past until they were released. The bars were twice as thick as everywhere else. I could throw myself at it as much as I wanted. They wouldn”t break. It was the only problem in my plan. I needed my axe.

”Here you go.”

The whelp was standing with the door open to a therapy room.

”Not again.”

”Therapy is mandatory.”

Him and the bald-headed guard unshackled me, and I stared them down as they shut the door in my face. Another battle with a human who wanted me to talk about feelings. Had they not learned yet? They would not make me be like them. As I turned to face my opponent, a smell overwhelmed me. I staggered backwards.

Iron and blood. But not just any iron or blood. My whole body felt alive with the scent. Like I had done the day when I finally joined my clan”s army as an adult. My eyes latched on to the small woman in a chair, awash with red fabric. The color of the leaders of my clan. The color of the sash I wore. I breathed in her scent again. Something more delicate in there too. I stared at her. Piercing blue eyes watched me. She was sitting, but it didn”t hide the curves of her body. Every sinew of me was ready to fight. Not her. But for her. I would fight any battle for her. Kill armies if she asked it. I would decimate the western cities if she wanted, if that is what it took to claim her and keep her. For the first time, I understood myself. I was made for this woman. This tiny little human. I stretched up over my head and showed her my size. My arms spread wide and my chest puffed up. I was big, even for an orc. She blinked and looked confused.

”Errr, hi, Orzesh. Why don”t you sit down.”

Not the response I expected.

”Are you not impressed with how big I am?”

”Oh. Umm, yes, you are quite big.”

She still seemed confused. It was time for me to be clear.

”You smell like my axe and the blood of the lion that I killed with it for my first combat trial.”

She looked horrified.

”And bluebells.”

Her face was now halfway between horror and confusion. Why wasn”t she understanding? I looked her up and down. Perhaps I should just throw her down on the ground and invite her to the mating fight now, surely then she would understand.

”Why don”t you sit.”

Her voice seemed sterner now, her face blank. Perhaps this was the start of how humans mated? I had not impressed her enough to take her yet. My body was tense with craving. My heart battered my chest. I needed her. She would writhe underneath me as she conceded the mating fight and I claimed her. As her body wanted mine and…

”My name is Serena. I”m going to be your therapist.”

”Orcs do not have therapy.”

”Well, humans do and you are in a human prison on a human world.”

Her tone was what a human guard had once told me was called sassy.

”Is this your challenge to me, Uk”lah? To learn the ways of humans?”

Her eyebrows twitched, and she studied my face for a moment.

”Yes. It”s a… challenge.”

”Humans are strange. But I will win this battle of therapy. For you. How do we start?”

I still believed that therapy was pointless, but if I was willing to destroy cities for my mate, I should be willing to do talking. However, it seemed much less fun.

Serena leaned back in her seat, dark hair curling around her neck. I wondered if she would like my hand there.

”Well. Tell me a bit about yourself.”

”Ah. Bonding. I see. I would not do this for anyone but you, Uk”lah. Not this soon after meeting.”

Her eyebrows twitched together again. But she remained impassive and waited quietly. She was a tough skull to crack.

”I was born of a lower family in my tribe. Small orcs who cooked for the fighters. It was my job as the biggest child to raise our family”s standing. My father gifted me my first axe at age four. I took my first trial to become an adult at nine and killed a giant adult lion with it. I joined the fighters and worked my way up, proving myself in battle until I claimed leadership of a battalion and the red sash at age twenty.”

I sat up straight as the pride in my achievements washed over me. I worked hard to get my sash. My Uk”lah”s eyes had widened slightly. Was she impressed?

”That all seems very young to be… killing lions, fighting and becoming a leader.”

”Yes. I am considered impressive in my tribe. Many orc women have tried to claim me.”

”Well… yes, I”m sure they have…”

”I have been offered many mating fights.”

”I”m sorry, mating fights?”

She looked confused again.

”You do know of the mating fight?”

”No, but please, tell me about it.”

My mate didn”t even know about the mating fight. My stomach sank. I would have to explain it to this small human. I”d assumed that the gods would match me with another orc if they honored me with a fate-bound mate. Tribe members had whispered tales of other races matched with orcs who ran from their mates when they learned about us. Orcs languishing alone, rejected. But honesty was an important and prized trait in my tribe. I would tell her of the mating fight. I hoped it would not frighten her away for good.