Page 7 of The Orc's Stolen Shepherdess

More like mynightmares. “Youwhat?”

“I need your arms!” she said forcefully again, giving my arm a jerk as if they might come free of my body if she tugged hard enough. “Now hurry up. There isn’t time!”

Chapter Three

Susara

Fades help me! IknewI was being a complete idiot. I knew that. And yet my stupid words were coming out all panicked. I’d almost died just now.Died!

But this orc had saved me. Thiswarriororc. The kind that my whole town was saying would plunder me and force me to carry his son if I let him get too close.

Instead, the huge, sharp-tusked male was looking at me like I’d just asked to rip his arms off and roast them for breakfast.

“Not to eat!” I said quickly and his eyes widened all the more. “Don’t worry, I need them to still be attached to your body. I don’t want to eat them. I don’t eat people—er, or orcs.”

“I’ve saved you.” He wiggled in my grip, but not enough to make me let go. He could have pulled away if he wanted. His muscles were huge. His bicep looked like it was as big around as my whole head. “You asked for help, and I gave it. I’m going now.”

“Oh, please, please, I just need a little more help! My Midnight needs saving too!” I tightened my hold on his hand. His skin was so soft. I wouldn’t have expected that, judging from how many scars he had. I couldn’t feel any callouses at all.

“Your what?” His brow furrowed, and honestly, he would have looked adorable had I not been so panicked about my sheep. “It’s sunset, woman.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. My sheep. My sheep is named Midnight. Her foot is caught and she’s hanging. She’s going to fall if you don’tcome.” I tried to tug him over, but I may as well have been tugging one of the boulders.

“There’s asheepdown there?” He looked like the perfect combination of aghast and disbelief. As if on cue, Midnight let out a bleat that echoed up from the dark void and pierced rightthrough my heart.

“I’m sorry, Midnight! We’ll get you out. I promise,” I shouted, hoping the rocks her foot was stuck between would hold. The orc was looking at me like I’d grown two heads. “I know I should have mentioned her being stuck first. I’m just all scrambled up.”

I still had his hand in mine, and I gave him another quick pull. This time, he took a hesitant step forward before stopping again.

“Why are you out here, alone, with asheep?”

Of all the questions!“I’m a shepherdess! Look, here’s my crook!” I picked the stick up off the ground where I’d left it and the orc’s brow knitted up. “I swear this isactuallymy crook and not a random stick I just picked up off the ground to convince you.”

“You are a shepherdess of a single sheep?”

Oh, for the love of— “My sheep are right there! Grazing all over that clover.”

His brows rose as he looked down and spied my happily munching flock.

“You can try to tell me you didn’t see them, but don’t you dare pretend like you didn’t smell them. I know how good orc’s sense of smell is.”

“Maybe I would have smelled them if your delicious scent wasn’t covering everything up.”

With that, his mouth shut so tight around his sharp teeth I wondered if he’d cut himself, and his cheeks turned such a dark shade of green, I could have sworn they were trying to rival the ever-blackening sky.

So, he liked how I smelled? I could work with that! “Look here, if you save my sheep, I will give you the best hug you’ve ever had in your life.”

“You’ll. . . give mewhat?” His voice had gone high with shock.

“Then you’ll smell like me! Why is that so odd? You just said you liked how I smelled.”

He exhaled sharply. “You could just give me your clothes; they smell like you.”

I supposed he was right. “It’s a little cold to be going around without my overdress, but for Midnight, I’ll do it.”

“No, that’s not—I didn’t mean to saythat.”

“I’ll let you say anything you want without judgment if you justsave Midnight.” I pulled at him again, and finally,finally, he followed me over to the edge of thecrevasse.

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