“He didn’t lose his mind,” she said softly, watching the mage’s profile. “Just his ability to speak clearly. Which... I mean... Why would he need it? His metaphors make plenty of sense if you have the patience to listen.”

  Thrak nodded, but Grace wasn’t sure he’d understood everything she’d said. He kept cleaning his captain’s back with the rag, dipping it constantly in a bucket that was now filled with red water. She thought the least she could do was change the water, but she couldn’t find it in her to stand up and walk. So, she took her mate’s hand in hers and lied down beside him. With her other hand, she gently traced his features. He could feel his breath on her fingers, and that gave her hope.

  “Come back to me.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Ulgan placed his hands on his captain’s shoulder blades, then lowered his head until his forehead almost came to rest on his knuckles. Grace looked at him suspiciously. She sensed that something was going on, so she sat up. She checked her mate’s pulse and sighed in relief when she felt it was a bit stronger than before.

  “This is it?”

  Ulgan stood up, swaying slightly. He’d expended a lot of energy mending a wound not inflicted by a sword.

  “Lucky,” he struggled to say.

  “Lucky? How was Kaius lucky?”

  Ulgan waved his hands chaotically, gesturing something Grace couldn’t understand.

  “The boar had no claws.”

  “I know that. Wait. Who’s the boar in this case?”

  The mage sighed, shook his head, and walked away. He stopped beside the first wounded orc he found, knelt, and applied some of the ointment he’d also given to Sasha, murmured some words, then moved on to the next. He saw Birma, eventually, and his eyes widened. Grace realized he hadn’t even known Sasha had needed him for Birma.

  Thrak covered Kaius with a clean pelt he’d found in the caves.

  “He means to say that the mage who did this wasn’t strong enough. In his good times, Ulgan could cut someone in two with his blade.”

  “It wasn’t a normal blade... Made of steel, I mean.”

  “Energy. Much more dangerous. It’s easier for Ulgan to heal wounds made by enchanted blades.”

  “Then Birma is going to be fine.”

  The raider nodded.

  Before he could leave, Grace stood up and touched his arm briefly. When he snapped around to stare at her questioningly, she hid her hand behind her back.

  “Sorry, I just wanted to know... What did you do with Goroth? Is he dead?”

  Thrak snarled. “No. The captain wanted him alive, so he is alive.”

  That made another wave of fear and anxiety rise inside her chest. She tried to hold it together.

  “Where is he?”

  “We captured him. He’s in the woods, guarded by the Giant. He can’t get to you and can’t hurt you. I promise.”

  “I...” That took her aback. “Thank you. Can I see him?”

  He furrowed his brows. “Why?”

  “I want to see him tied up and helpless. It would give me great pleasure.”

  That made the orc smile broadly, and Grace congratulated herself for having chosen the right words. For once, she didn’t sound weak and useless. And she’d told the truth, too. She did want to see Goroth the Devourer in the same position he’d put her and her daughter in not long ago.

  “Follow me.”

  She did, and the raider led her through the forest, towards the north. There were fallen orcs everywhere, and she easily identified them as belonging to the enemy horde. Kaius had struck hard and fast. He’d taken them by surprise, and he’d showed no mercy. As they walked deeper and deeper into the woods, she saw two orcs she knew belonged to their horde, and she averted her gaze. There was nothing she could do for them.

  “We’ll bury them honorably,” Thrak said.

  “Of course.”

  Goroth the Devourer was in chains, tied roughly to the trunk of a tree. When Thrak and Grace approached, the Giant raised his gaze and nodded, then returned to sharpening his many daggers.

  For a minute, she studied the disgraced captain, thinking about what she wanted to say to him. She wasn’t sure. It was over, and it didn’t make any sense to lash out on him. He’d been defeated, and no amount of curses she could rain down on him would make her feel better than the knowledge that his end was near.

  “Go ahead, pretty,” he said, his voice sounding gurgled. He turned his head slightly and spat blood on the ground, then lifted his gaze. His face was badly bruised, but that wasn’t what made Grace take a step back. He was missing an eye. “Not as handsome as you remember me, hm?”

  She felt sick, and she had to take a couple of deep breaths. Thrak was studying her with interest. She reminded herself that she was the captain’s bride and straightened her back.

  “I have a question for you.”

  He smiled, showing her his bloodied teeth. “Why don’t you ask them to unchain me first? That crazy mage of yours enchanted the chains, and they’re poisoning me slowly. Not comfortable at all.”

  Grace noticed that the chains were wound tightly around his body and were digging into his skin. Where they touched him, the skin became ashen and the veins showed.

  “Won’t he die before Kaius...”

  “Ulgan comes and heals him once in a while,” Thrak explained. “He won’t die before the captain orders it. This is a good way to keep him subdued.”

  “Right.” She remembered how Kaius had lifted the barred door from its hinges with his bare hands. Goroth would break out of the chains easily if they weren’t enchanted. “Smart.”

  “We’re just good at what we do,” Thrak shrugged, but it was easy to tell he was proud of himself. And of the entire horde.

  Grace shot him a confused glance.

  He grinned. “War.”

  “Oh.”

  “You did well this time,” Goroth said. “That mage of yours... Without him, you’d be dead, not my orcs.”

  “Enough about war,” Grace said in a firm voice. “Let’s talk about peace, Goroth. Kaius didn’t want to share the valley with you. He was here first, and you should’ve respected that or moved somewhere else. But I’m curious... Had he suggested you did share the valley... would you have agreed?”

  Goroth stared at her for a second, as if he didn’t understand what she was saying. Maybe she’d formulated the whole thing in a much too complicated way. But then he started laughing – a full belly laugh, with his head thrown back against the tree trunk.

  Grace frowned. “What’s so funny? Why are you laughing? I know Kaius never came to you with such a proposal, but I just wanted to know if there would’ve ever been a chance for diplomacy on your part.”

  “Never came to me...” He was laughing so hard he could barely talk. “You pretty, pretty thing. You’re also so, so stupid.”

  “What?”

  He started coughing, and he spat out more blood. He licked his teeth and looked up at her.

  “Your Kaius... Kaius the Fierce, as you call him... is not fierce at all. He did come to me, twice even. He was more than willing to offer me half of the valley and make it official with the Council, just so there wouldn’t be any misunderstandings in case I changed my mind.”

  “Or in case he changed his mind,” Thrak snarled.

  Grace noticed that both Thrak and Dharg were tense. Tenser than before. They were looking at Goroth with pure murder in their eyes.

  “You didn’t know,” she whispered.

  “No, of course his raiders didn’t know,” Goroth was happy to explain. “His proposal was the approach of a coward, and he knew it. He came to me alone, and I was amused enough to meet with him in private. I refused him twice and kindly asked him to find another place for his horde. Now, that was the extent I was willing to go to. He could’ve taken his horde, left the valley to me.”

  “But he was here first.”

  “And what do I care? Your captain was weak! Seeking peace when peace is not the way of his people... The thought alone disgusts me.” He spat more blood, not because he had to, but because he was trying to make a point. “He wanted us to work in the valley together, like brothers.” He stared the two raiders in the eye. “Your captain is a weakling! This world has made him soft. Is this the kind of leader you want to follow?”

  The Giant bent forward and punched Goroth hard, breaking his nose. Grace yelped and jumped a few steps back. Goroth laughed again.

  “You can kill me right now, and that won’t change the fact that your captain is unworthy. He should’ve never been given command of a horde. He’s not a warrior, he’s a coward looking for peace and brotherly agreements.”

  “You’re wrong,” she said. The fact that Kaius had actually sought peace with Goroth made her feel proud of him. So proud because he hadn’t been too proud to negotiate with his enemy. “The war is over, and Kaius is stronger than you because he has adapted to the new way of things. You’re the weak one. And now your horde is gone, and you’re in chains, awaiting your sentence. What more proof do you want that you got it all wrong? I hope you’re happy with what you’ve achieved. You could’ve settled somewhere else if you didn’t want to share anything with anyone, taken a human bride, had heirs of your own.” She touched her stomach, and hope filled her heart. “I’d say that you’ve at least learned your lesson, but what’s the point? I don’t think you’ll live to apply it.”

  With that, she turned on her heels and headed back to the clearing. Goroth sputtered something, but she ignored him. Her question had been answered. Thrak rushed after her.

  “I can’t let you walk alone.”

  “I think I’m safe now.”

  “The captain would want someone to watch over you at all times.”

  “What do you think about what Goroth said?”

  Thrak was silent. She knew he’d understood her question, so she gave him time to think. In the end, he replied in his usual manner, using few words.

  “Kaius the Fierce is my captain.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Kaius was still half-unconscious when Thrak hoisted him up his krag. A grunt helped him, and they made sure that he was well secured on the beast’s back. The krag was used to its master, and guided by Thrak down the mountain, it moved slowly, carefully stepping over rocks and bushes. When most of the orcs who’d survived the battle were strong enough to walk or ride, as the captain’s second in command, Thrak the Butcher decided it was best to retreat to their valley, where they could rest and better recover in the abandoned houses. They had supplies there that Goroth’s horde hadn’t vandalized.

  Grace found Sasha, and together, they mounted a smaller krag. Beka helped Birma, and the four of them set to make the journey to the valley. A few grunts who hadn’t sustained bad wounds stayed behind to bury the dead. All the dead.

  “Shouldn’t we take our dead with us?” Grace asked.

  Beka the Wanderer shook her head. “No. They will lay where they fell. On the battlefield. That is our way.”

  “Oh. Sorry. I still have so much to learn.”

  They rode in silence. They were too exhausted to talk, but at least Birma was feeling better. Ulgan had cleaned and closed her wound, and it was healing nicely. Sasha was tired too, and she leaned her head back to rest against her mother’s chest. Grace had her arm wrapped around her middle to make sure she wouldn’t fall if she fell asleep.

  “It was amazing,” the girl whispered at some point.

  Her eyes were closed, so Grace’s first thought was that she was dreaming.

  “It worked,” Sasha continued. “The cream Ulgan gave me, and the words... I don’t know what they mean. I asked him, but he didn’t make any sense, so I don’t know. But did you see, Mommy? I actually stopped the poison from spreading through her blood.”

  Grace smiled. Her daughter wasn’t sleeping. She was just processing what had happened back there, and how she’d dabbled in magic. The magic of orcs.

  “I did see. I thought I was tired and my eyes were playing tricks on me. But you did it. You saved Birma.”

  “I wouldn’t say I saved her. But I kept the infection at bay until Ulgan could do something.”

  “You did goo. So good.” She kissed the top of her head.

  Sasha opened her eyes and looked up at her. “Mom, do you think I could do it?”

  “What, baby?”

  “Learn from Ulgan. Learn how to do magic and heal people.”

  “I... I don’t know... I’ve never heard of a human doing orc magic. Why don’t you ask him?”

  “I did. He’s exhausted, and he talks in riddles. I’m used to it, but this time not even I can guess what he means.”

  “Ask again tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow. When this whole ordeal is over.”

  “I will. I’d love to learn how to do what he does. He’s already showed me so many plants.”

  “I’m glad you found something you love. You’ll be great at it. And I was just thinking today... the horde could use a second mage.”

  Sasha grinned from ear to ear. “Maybe he’ll teach me. Even if I don’t have his talents.”

  “Some talents you’re born with, some you develop... I know you can do it. You’re a healer. You have that aura...” Not that Grace knew much about auras, but she could certainly feel her daughter was special. She’d kept death at bay today, and she’d done it with grace and determination. “I just... I just wish you could enjoy your childhood a little longer.”

  Sasha shrugged. “I think childhood is overrated. I’ve had enough of it.”

  Grace sighed. “I have to admit you haven’t sounded like a six-year-old in a while.” She had a secret theory that in the presence of orcs Sasha grew quicker. She was more mature than she’d been a month before.

  “The world is tough, and I have to be tough,” she went on, straightening her back and leaning forward to sink her hands into the krag’s mane. “It’s okay. I like being an adult more than I like being a child.”

  Grace brushed Sasha’s hair away from her forehead. They were both dirty and stank to high heaven. The first thing she was going to do when they reached the valley was to wash both her and Sasha and find clean clothes.

  “But you’ll still play with your dolls?”

  “Maybe.” She grinned. “Only because I have to practice on something.”

  Grace laughed. “Okay. But will you still ask for more candy than you should be allowed to have?”

  “Yes! I’m not giving up candy. And you know, if I start training with Ulgan, I’m going to need more candy. Like you used to drink coffee in the morning, I’m going to need chocolate.”

  “Oooh coffee,” Grace moaned. “Don’t remind me.”

  They reached the valley, and Thrak and Beka found an abandoned mansion where they could fit in the entire horde. At least the wounded orcs, because the others had plenty of work to do outside. There was much cleaning to do after the battle, and they had to at least try and save some of the gardens and fields Goroth that destroyed. Ulgan was needed once more, since he could heal the land to some extent.

  They put Kaius in a large bedroom with a view to a half-burned vineyard. After she washed herself to the best of her ability, Grace pulled a chair by his bed and curled up in it. She found it funny that Kaius had been so against beds, and now he was lying in one, sleeping rather comfortably. She wrapped herself in a blanket and prepared to watch over him for as long as he needed to come back to her. She left the door cracked, so whoever wanted to see their captain could walk in.

  Once she’d given Sasha some clean, old clothes she’d found in a dresser, the girl vanished. She went to look for the mage and ask him what she could do to help the orcs who weren’t a hundred percent healed. Grace wasn’t worried about her. If the past few hours had taught her anything, it was that her daughter could handle stress better than she could. She’d felt overwhelmed, lost, and like a burden for those who were actually doing something to save their captain and set their world back on its axis. All she’d done was to cry and despair. Sasha had been proactive and lent a hand where she could. She’d made a difference.

  “Things have to change,” she thought. “For their sake. I have to change.” She touched her stomach. Her children needed a mother who could protect them. Not a mother who needed to be comforted and protected. “What happened, happened. I’ll do better next time.” She truly hoped there wouldn’t be a next time. Or, at least, not a next time of such proportions.

  At some point before sundown, Beka the Wanderer came in with a plate of food. It wasn’t much, but Grace ate everything greedily. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was.

  A few times, Sasha came in with a fresh basin filled with warm water and plants floating around. She said they were supposed to help with the fever. Kaius was a bit hot, but his body was fighting to heal itself. The mage checked his vitals once and seemed satisfied enough to not set foot in the room until right before dawn, when Kaius stirred, opened his eyes, and reached out to touch Grace’s hand. She’d been asleep in the chair, in a rather uncomfortable position, and when she felt his rough hand squeezing around her fingers, she jumped straight to her feet and yelled. Sasha and Ulgan came running.

  “Mom, what’s wrong?”

  Kaius chuckled weakly. “I’m sorry. I scared you,” he said to Grace.

  “Oh my God!” She slipped into bed with him and hugged him gently, awkwardly, as if she were afraid she might hurt him. “You’re back. Thank you! I thought...” She sniffed, looked into his eyes, then hid her face in the crook of his neck. “No, I won’t say it. You’re here. I missed you so much.”

  “But I never left.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  Ulgan waved his hands and shook his head. “The moon is up, and the birds have to fly home. I have no time for stories.”

  Grace laughed. Kaius was so used to Ulgan’s babbling by now that he ignored him. He nodded at him once, letting him know that he thanked him for healing him. Ulgan bowed slightly and was on his way back to wherever he was needed most.