Chapter 7

Seven

Moon

“ W hat the heck!” I complain when I fall to my knees in the grass, nearly puking up a lung. Too much, all at once, man. I suspected Echo… Arlo? Does it matter? Fuck, I don’t know… I suspected he was royal blood, but to have Crow confirm it?

“Where are we…” Echo demands, looking around the field we landed in.

“Orc realm.” Crow shrugs, and I jump to my feet with a yelp.

“What!”

“Don’t worry, we’re safe.”

“Safe?! We’re in a different realm, filled with hostile giants!” I snap, and Echo flinches.

“Perhaps consider your words more carefully,” Crow scolds, making my eyes go wide. The Elven Champion pats Echo on the back, and I just stare at them. They’re friends now?

“Since when are you two friends?” I ask, but they ignore me. I walk over to Echo and bump him with my arm. “Sorry. That was shitty of me. I said a dickish thing, and I didn’t mean to be an ass,” I apologize, not making an excuse. There isn’t one, but I want him to know I wasn’t being a bitch intentionally.

“Ah, here we are,” Crow says, as the ground starts to rumble. Instinctively, I step closer to Echo, wrapping my hands around his arm, and partially hiding behind the large man. He’s not wearing his mask, and I wonder if that’s because of our talk, or if he just forgot.

“Crow?” a booming voice calls out, as a massive, monster-sized dude steps into view. No, not dude. Orc. A scantily dressed Orc. He’s basically naked, with nothing but a leather triangle covering his naughty bits. His bulging body is covered in scars and is a deep shade of green. I look at Echo, confirming he’s definitely not green at all.

“Over here, Fasakasha!” Crow calls back.

“Call me Fas! My true name sounds weird on your Elven tongue!” The rather chipper Orc chuckles as he approaches us. Homeboy is like ten feet tall and built like a fucking double-stacked bus.

“Who have you brought with yo- '' Fas pauses as his eyes land on Echo. “Arloshanas…” he whispers. Fas moves so fast, that I don’t process what’s happening until it's already done. In the blink of an eye, the giant is hugging Echo to his chest and squeezing. “And you brought your Heart Bonded mate!” The jolly green giant bellows with laughter, and I watch as he spins Echo in a circle.

“What the fuck?” I whisper.

“Borkis! Sound the trumpets! My lost son has returned to me! We’re having a feast!” Fas shouts so loud I have to cover my ears, and seconds later a horn starts blaring in the distance.

“What’s happening?” I ask Crow, who just smirks.

“Fas is Arlo’s father. He’s not only a royal Elven Prince but an Orc Chieftain’s firstborn son.” Crow looks very pleased at the moment, but I’m still a bit lost.

“I’m Heart Bonded to a… hybrid prince? A double prince?” I whisper, and Crow chuckles.

“And then some. Come on, princess,” he teases, as the Orc Chieftain sprints into his village, carrying Echo in his arms still. The ground literally trembles under his booming steps, and as the trumpets sound, more bodies start pounding the ground like an earthquake. If Echo’s mom is Elven… Nope, none of my business.