Page 8 of The Orc's Stolen Shepherdess

He stayed a good distance back as he peered into the darkness, only to sag with relief. “Well, fuck, there really is a sheep in there.”

“You thought I was lying?” I couldn’t decide if I was more insulted or amused.

He shrugged and kneeled to get a better look. “Been lured by more ridiculous things than this.”

“Lured by. . . you thought I was setting a trap? Honestly? Who would use rescuing asheepas a trap?”

He raised a brow at me and then continued to examine the predicament my sheep was in.

“Do you need light?” I picked up my lantern and matches. I relit the flame with shaking fingers. “How is she? Is she slipping? Fades, please tell me you can reach—”

“She’s fine. She’s not going anywhere.” His voice was low and calm.

“Really? She’s really all right?”

“Her foot is stuck tight between the rocks. I think she’s eating.” He moved to get down on his stomach. “I’m going to try to reach her.”

“Hold on, Midnight,” I called. “This niceorc is going to save you.”

He shot me another odd look and then reached down into the darkness. A loud crack sounded, and I yipped with fear.

“Be calm.” His voice was a low rumble that somehow managed to soothe away my panic. “I just broke the rock holding her. She’s fine. I have her in a firm grip.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you!” I held my breath, wrung my hands, and prayed to the Fades who’d made me that in a moment, he would pull her up, and everything would be right with the world again.

“Fuck! Let go!”

“What?” I hurried over to his side and looked down into the darkness, but the crevasse was so slender and his body took up all the visible space. “What’s going on? Do you have her?”

“I have her. She just won’t let go!”

“Won’t let go?”

“She’s eating something. Some sort of root or . . . Fades, blast it all,stop kicking me.”

“Midnight, you naughty thing!” It would be just like her to be so ruled by her stomach that she would die for the last bite. “Let go of that food this instant!”

“She’s not budging,” he called up.

“Pat her butt,” I suggested.

“What?”

Had he not heard me? “I said pat her butt!”

“I amnotgoing to touch its butt. That’sdisgusting.”

The abject horror in his tone made me burst into laughter instantly.

“Are youlaughingat me?”

“Yes!” My sides hurt from trying to keep my laughter at bay. “I don’t mean her butthole, you clod! I meant pat her flank! On the fluffy part! That’s how I get them moving in the woods.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he grumbled, voice echoing in the darkness. I could imagine his knitted brow and my chuckles broke free again. “Stop laughing at me! It’s not helping.”

“Did you need help?” I wiped my eyes. “I could hold your legs or something. Or maybe you want me to pat your butt?”

“You stay away from my butt,” he snapped. “Patting her isn’t work—oh! It worked.”

---