Page 65 of Romancing the Orc

They’re houses made out of trees!

More of the green elves pour out of them, all of them talking and pointing. A unicorn trots from behind one of the trees—a freaking unicorn!—their coat so white it almost gleams silver in the sunlight.

The deep voice speaks from behind me again.

I spin, already knowing who I’ll find, but my mouth drops open, because a Whirling Swings ride fills the area behind thegreen elf, the tall central column covered in brightly painted scenes, the swing chairs dangling on chains from the wide disk mounted to the top.

Stunned laughter bubbles up as I shake my head. “Yep, it’s official. You’ve lost your damned mind, Naomi.”

The elf says something, sounding concerned, and steps closer.

I retreat a few feet, but I can’t go far, because the other people now surround us.

I want to go home!

Blink. I’m back at the pillar of rock, the place this all started. Instinct makes me press both palms to it. When I first got here, the crystals in it lit up in time with my necklace. Maybe they can help.

The birds scream overhead, and the sound of a sword being drawn comes from behind me. The elf came with me.

I close my eyes and press my hands harder against the rock, focusing on one word and one word only.

Home. My real home!

Pressure squeezes on me from all sides. All of the past times I teleported were completely effortless. This time’s the opposite. Sweat trickles down my face, down my back, and tickles between my breasts. I strain harder, my muscles shaking, my face scrunching.

Home.Home.HOME.

HOME!

With a huge pop, something rips.

I fall to hands and knees, scraping my skin on asphalt. But I don’t even care, because it’s familiar old asphalt, turned gray with age, and my hometown’s most hated pothole sits only a couple of feet away.

Strong hands wrap around my shoulders, pulling me to my feet, and Main Street comes into view, the dusty windows of the closed ice cream parlor right in front of me.

I did it! I’m home!

I turn, ready to thank whichever of my neighbors just helped me up. Only, it’s not one of them. Shock freezes all of my muscles as I suck in a startled breath.

The green elf stares down at me, his dark eyes wide and wild. “By the goddess,whatdid you do?”

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