Chapter 8

Serena

My mind was buzzing with the new information that Orzesh was giving me about orcs. They sang and had diplomats and respected forest spirits. I wanted to know more. I let him talk for longer about the songs they sang and the feasts they had. It was fascinating, and it sounded like orcs had a lot of fun. He was so full of joy when he talked about his home and his tribe. His hands flailed about as he talked with the love and excitement he had for his tribe and family. He talked fondly about his parents and siblings, and seemed to miss them terribly. It was like he was a flower opening up to me. A very big, scarred, aggressive flower. As much as I enjoyed listening to him, I had a job to do. I had to understand his problems in the past few months. He was talking freely, so I hoped he trusted me enough to go deeper now.

”I appreciate why you had to fight back home. But you”ve also been in a lot of fights recently here. By all accounts, you were doing well and minding your own business. But the past few months have seen an escalation in the amount of trouble you are in. What”s going on, Zesh? Share with me.”

He watched me intently, back straight. It felt like he was sizing me up. I got a sense of what it must be like facing someone of his size on the battlefield. I knew I wouldn”t stand a chance. His focus alone made me lean back in my seat.

”To answer this question requires a great deal of trust, Uk”lah. I ask you straight. Can I trust you completely?”

The answer fell out of me on pure instinct before I could engage my brain.

”Yes.”

He watched me again for a few moments.

”Our tribe seer told me that the gods would send me a sign when I had paid for my failures. When it was time to leave this place.”

My brain took a moment to catch up to what he was saying.

”You mean to escape?”

”You may call it that. I have prayed to our god every night. And a few months ago he sent me the sign of freedom.”

Orzesh reached behind his sash and rummaged inside a pocket in it for a moment. I tensed, unsure what he was about to pull out of there. Nothing could have prepared me when he opened his fist. Inside was a small, scraggly bird with a pale rusty orange belly and a bluey gray back with a small sharp beak. A black line ran across its eye like it was wearing war paint. It peered at me and then cheeped. Slightly messy furry feathers told me it wasn”t quite an adult yet. It was absolutely adorable. I gaped at Orzesh and the bird.

”He came through my window at the end of my prayers. He wasn”t very good at being quiet at first. The other prisoners kept trying to get hold of him to eat him.”

”To EAT HIM?!”

”Yes. Us bigger monsters don”t get enough grub at mealtimes. So there were eyes on him. And he couldn”t fly well to get away at first. So every time someone came to try to eat him, I had to fight them off. He is mine to protect. My friend.”

I was instantly completely on his side. As I stared at the baby bird, a fierce protective instinct raged inside me. Zesh held the bird out towards me. I took him gently, feeling the honor that he was giving by handing something so precious over to me. A sign from his god.

The bird was soft and fluffy. I ruffled his head, and he chirruped at me. I knew I would also have fought anyone who tried to hurt him.

”You are a good bird dad, Zesh.”

His chest puffed with pride.

”I have named him Bloodletter.”

”I”m sorry, what?”

”Bloodletter. It is a solid orc name. He drew blood the first time I held him. A fierce bird.”

I looked at tiny, adorable, Bloodletter. He didn”t seem very fierce to me right now. I”d have called him Fluffles or Bluey. But he wasn”t mine to name. As I fussed over the bird who was now leaning into my hand, my brain pulled back to something Zesh had said.

”Wait, so you are going to attempt to escape now?”

”Of course. My time is done. My god outranks your human judges.”

I wasn”t sure what to say to that. Obviously I should report that he was trying to escape. But he had given me his trust. I couldn”t just turn around and betray it, and I didn”t want to. I looked at his face for a moment. Those green eyes flicked between me and Bloodletter. I couldn”t disrespect orc laws and their ways. But I had also promised to uphold human laws when I started working here. I sat stroking Bloodletter and thinking.

”There might be a better way to get you out of here. Without breaking any laws. To respect your god and to not end up a fugitive to humans.”

His face screwed up.

”I think we can do it by putting forward evidence that you didn”t actually commit the war crimes you were convicted of.”

”It would be dishonorable to my tribe to avoid responsibility.”

”You aren”t avoiding anything. You”ve done the time according to your god, right? So you”d just be telling the full story.”

”That sounds slower and less exciting than escaping, Uk”lah.”

His eyes glinted with mischief as he said this.

I snorted, startling Bloodletter. I calmed him before continuing.

”You might be right. But not everything can be exciting all the time. Also, do you know how difficult it would be to escape here?”

”Yes, it would be a challenge. But I am strong.”

”I think it would be impossible.”

He froze, and his eyes narrowed.

”You doubt my strength?”

”To get out of this place with all the guards and barred doorways? Yes, it would be impossible for anyone, Zesh.”

As soon as I spoke, I knew I had fucked up. He was obviously very proud of how strong he was. But brute-forcing your way out of prison seemed ridiculous. His eyes narrowed. My stomach turned, and a wave of cold washed over me.

”I just mean…”

He reached out and took Bloodletter back.

”I will return to my cell now.”

”Oh, okay.”

I wanted to make it right, but he reached out and pressed my button to summon the guards before I could put my thoughts in order. I had offended him. Deeply. My gut twisted as he tucked the small bird back into his red sash. While the guards wandered in, shackled him and took him away, he barely looked at me. His face was downcast. Now I felt like I was the monster.