Page 48 of The Orc's Rage

“He does care for me,” Cedar said matter-of-factly. She didn’t follow it up, because she had no need to explain herself to someone like Rathka.

“Hmm.” The orc woman washed her hair thoughtfully. “But has he taken you as hisyapira? No. He would have, if he cared for you the way you think he does.”

It was true that he’d made no commitments to her. As far as they were concerned, Cedar was nothing more than a concubine to be sown. But perhaps humans couldn’t beyapiras, and he wanted her anyway. Could that be enough?

Cedar didn’t want to argue about it with Rathka. The old woman could believe what she wanted, but only Cedar knew what had transpired between them, and that was what mattered.

So she remained silent, and Rathka appeared to understand the message. They both bathed in the quiet, no sound but an owl hooting beyond the leather walls. Soon the water grew cold and Cedar stepped out, pulling down one of the furs left out for drying to wrap herself up.

Rathka still did not emerge from the water. Her eyes were closed, and her head was leaned back on the edge of the tub, as if she was asleep.

“He has not taken you as hisyapirabecause he plans to have others.” She turned her head slightly toward Cedar and opened one eye. “Surely you know that by now.”

The words pierced deep. Cedar was already soft, already vulnerable, and Rathka had found the perfect dagger to slide into her chest.

You are mine. You will always be mine.Kargorr had clearly staked his claim on her, but that didn’t mean he belonged to her in return. He had said this was the beginning—could he have meant she was simply the first?

“The tent,” Rathka said. “It’s much bigger than his previous one, is it not?”

Cedar froze as she hovered over her pile of clothes.

The tent was bigger. Much, much bigger. One whole side remained empty, which Cedar had simply assumed was for the baby. Or perhaps Lord Kargorr’s spoils.

Did he really intend to share that space with another concubine?

“You are carrying his orcling,” Rathka went on, and Cedar wished more than anything the old orc woman would stop, but she didn’t have the voice. “So you serve no further purpose for the next year. Lord Kargorr will want many orclings. When he returns with his next concubine, she will take your place.” Rathka closed her one eye and turned back to the ceiling, exhaling with relaxation. “You will be relegated to the bed in the back.”

Cedar’s chest burned. Her throat closed, so her breaths came fast and shallow. She struggled to put on her clothes, her hands trembling as she tried to slip on her pants and tunic.

Rathka was wrong. She had to be wrong.

But that had always been Kargorr’s plan. She knew his ambitions, how he sought to create an empire. What made Cedar think that would change now?

24

Kargorr

His muscles swelled with blood as he swung his axe. Another man fell, and the sound of screaming all around him filled his veins with fire.

Cedar had taken to his seed so quickly that his warriors now spoke often of finding their own human concubines, so Kargorr resisted his instinct to finish the job whenever he came upon a young man or woman. The band had horses now, and many wooden wagons, so they could bring as many prisoners back with them as they chose.

Lord Kargorr gave every youthful body a cursory look, but no one spoke to him. No one stirred him. Hissargaknew who his true mate was and wanted nothing but to return to her.

This was their third outpost. Soon, he thought, they would be ready to move on the settlement.

He had been gone for nearly two weeks now, and the ache for hisyapirawas undeniably powerful. Whenever he thought of their orcling, nothing more than a tiny pebble inside her, he longed to call off the rest of their quest and return home.

No. He would have his way with Cedar when he returned, but for now, he had something to prove.

When everyone was dead save for two human women, who his warriors had chosen for themselves, thegrrosektook what they could and loaded it up into the new wagons. Kargorr left the farm animals, having plenty of supplies already, and then they burned the village to the ground to the tune of the women’s sobs.

Odd, he thought, that his Cedar had never cried. But that was why hissargahad chosen her. He had known from the first moment he smelled her who she was.

After two more days’ ride, they reached the settlement. From scout reports, they would have to ride through a significant amount of farmland before reaching more densely populated areas. But Kargorr’s force was significant, as he’d brought almost every single capable warrior with him, hoping that theparogcould fend for itself.

That night, he held a long discussion with Orgha as to the best path inward.

“Make them think we are larger than we are,” Orgha said. “Split into groups and approach from multiple directions. Let them believe they’re surrounded. Leave fire everywhere we go to confuse them.”

---