Page 46 of The Orc's Stolen Shepherdess

He gave me a tight squeeze.

And then he let me go.

“You cannot be serious!” Jophel said, though his voice wavered. “You’re going to let your daughter be alone in the woods with thisbeast?”

“Restrain yourself!” Headman Gerald bellowed into his ear. “I’ve already decided you’ll be mucking the pigs for the rest of winter, Jophel. I suggest you shut your mouth or you’ll be scrubbing them out allyear. Good luck finding a wife while you’re stinking of shit.”

Jophel went pale and shut his mouth tight.

“Why should Jophel restrain himself?” Waston cried. “This isridiculous!”

Caivid growled under his breath and I went to his side and took his hand. He exhaled out his tension in an instant.

“This male stole her right out of her bed and manipulated her into lying for him,” Waston continued. “You have no proof that he didn’t!”

“And you have no proof that hedid!” I snapped.

“We do!”

I blinked as Jovi pushed his way to the front. It was then I noticed he had a huge, bulging bag slung over his shoulder. “I brought the print!”

“You brought the what?” What on Faeda was going on?

“I told you not to!” Waston snapped.

“But why not?” he asked as he carefully removed the gray wool fabric that had been neatly folded inside his bag. “I don’t understand. This is ourproof!”

“Because I told you to! That’s why!” Waston shrieked.

“Is that. . .” I blinked rapidly as he got the bulky item out. “Is that myblanket?”

“It sure is!” Jovi began to unfold my wool blanket onto the muddy ground. “It has the footprint he left! This is the proof he was in your room.”

I almost cackled with glee.

“Put thataway!” Waston cried. “We don’t need to go this far!”

“Why not?” I asked. “Because you know it will prove him innocent?”

She sputtered. “It couldn’t possibly! That footprint was too huge to be anyone’s but an orc’s!”

I looked her dead in the eyes, and she paled. “Let’s get to it then.”

Waston sputtered with indignation, but there was nothing more she could do. My blanket was laid out and the print of my boot was right there, a deep brown stain right in the middle.

“Come over, warrior!” Jovi was grinning as he pointed to the print. “Let’s put an end to this farce. I’m ready for breakfast.”

I laughed, so relieved that at least one of the villagers was seeing reason.

Caivid came over without hesitation and placed his foot next to the print. Many came over for a closer look.

The difference in size was tremendous. His foot was nearly twice the size of mine.

“Susara?” Jovi waved me over.

Ah, blast it all. I really didn’t have a choice, did I?

I walked over and put my boot down right on top of the print.

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