Page 10 of The Orc and the Innkeeper

“Partner,” I affirm, shaking her hand. The contact sends an unexpected jolt through me and bittersweet certainty sinks into my bones.

These next fourteen days will either be my sweetest fantasy come true—or my ultimate undoing.

The familiar,comforting scent of hops and malts envelops me as I stride back into Orc’s Anvil Brewing Co., my sanctuary and pride. Gleaming copper kettles catch the warm light, whilebarrels of aging ale line the stone walls. I breathe deep, savoring the rich, earthy aroma that never fails to settle my nerves.

But today, even surrounded by my life’s work, my mind churns with the enormity of the arrangement I’ve struck with Mariah.

Fake fiancée. The words echo in my skull. What in the seven hells was I thinking?

I spot Gruna hunched over paperwork in the taproom, her brow creased in concentration. She glances up as I approach.

“Brother! Welcome back. You’ll never guess what else happened here today. That rickety keg washer finally crapped out, mid-cycle. Suds everywhere! Thank the spirits for Fizz—that crafty little goblin had spare parts on hand. We’re back on track, but yeesh, talk about panic.”

I make a mental note to give Fizz a bonus for his quick thinking. “Good ol’ Fizz,” I grunt.

Gruna’s eyes narrow at whatever she reads on my face. “What’s going on? Did the meeting with Kingsley go okay?”

With a deep breath, I meet Gruna’s worried gaze. “It went okay, but there’s something I need to tell you,” I begin, my voice low and tense.

Gruna huffs. “Thorak, what did you do?”

I wince at the accusation in her tone. Damn, she knows me too well. Rubbing the back of my neck, I forge ahead. “I may have...told Kingsley I’m engaged. To a human.”

“Youwhat?!” Gruna’s screech echoes through the taproom.

“Keep your voice down!” I hiss, glancing around to make sure we’re alone. “It just slipped out, okay? Kingsley was going on about the importance of having a human presence in our business and I panicked!”

Gruna pinches the bridge of her nose, her trinkets jangling as she shakes her head. “Thorak, this is a disaster waiting tohappen. How could lie about something so idiotic—and so easy to disprove?”

I bristle at the disapproval in her voice. “You think I don’t know that? But I have a solution, of sorts.” Taking a fortifying breath, I drop the real bombshell. “Mariah Parker overheard. And she’s agreed to play along...for a price.”

Gruna’s jaw drops. “Mariah Parker? As in the girl you tormented all through high school?”

I flinch at the blunt reminder of my past misdeeds. “Yes, her. She needs money to deal with a pixie dust mite infestation at the inn. If I cover the cost, she’ll pretend to be my fiancée until Kingsley leaves town.”

“This is insane, Thorak!” Gruna throws up her hands. “There’s no way Ma and Da don’t find out. You know what they think about humans!”

A wave of shame washes over me at the thought of our parents’ prejudice. Our whole lives, they’ve drilled into us the importance of sticking to our own kind. Of upholding orc traditions and rejecting the “corrupting influence” of other species—especially humans.

But I’m not a child anymore. And I refuse to let their narrow-minded views dictate my life.Or your heart,a voice whispers in the back of my mind. I do my best to ignore it.

“They won’t find out,” I insist, injecting confidence into my voice. “Kingsley’s only here for two weeks. I’ll wine and dine him, dazzle him with the brewery’s potential. Once he’s on board, Mariah and I will stage a quick, quiet ‘breakup’ and that’ll be that.”

Gruna still looks skeptical, but I can see her resistance wavering. “I don’t like this, Thorak. It’s too risky. What if Kingsley finds out? What if...what if you catch feelings for real? I’ve seen the way you look at her...”

My stomach twists with unease, a sinking sensation I can’t quite shake. The thought of this fake engagement ending, of having to stay away from Mariah all over again, even if our relationship is never real...it physically pains me. But I swallow hard and force a gruff chuckle, trying to play it off.

“Relax, sis. I’ve got this under control. Mariah and I are both professionals. We know what we’re doing.”

Gruna’s amber eyes bore into me, seeing straight through my forced bravado. She’s always had an uncanny ability to read me like an open book, ever since we were whelps. With a soft sigh, she reaches out and squeezes my shoulder.

“Just be careful, okay?” Her voice is gentle but firm. “Don’t let your heart get tangled up in this mess. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I’ll be fine,” I rasp, the words sticking in my throat like shards of glass.

Gruna clearly doesn’t believe me, but she doesn’t push. Just gives my shoulder a final comforting squeeze before pulling back.

Needing a distraction, I grab a tall stein and head over to the taps, pouring myself a generous helping of our latest brew—a rich, dark oatmeal stout with hints of coffee and chocolate.

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