Page 132 of The Orc Chief's Baker
Trinia’s stomach twisted at the harsh reminder that the schoolhouse was on the other side. “What about the evacuation? And Ogvick?”
“They’re fine,” Brovdir said. “I can hear them. Evacuation is ongoing.”
Trinia exhaled again just as the two boys that had saved Sythcol reappeared from the woods and ran over to her. How far away did they take him?
“Fades have mercy, you really got this stuck in there!” Ulid, a slender nine-year-old with a cheery disposition, kneeled at her side. He started digging at the ground around her stuck leg with his slender pale green hands.
“Should we just chop it?” Niloc, a much larger boy of the same age, asked.
“No, you idiot! Humans like their legs attached!”
“You’re the idiot! I meant chop with ourmagic! At theground!”
“Just say that then!”
“Now, boys, don’t bicker or our good chief might give you a wallop!” Elder Plog chided her wayward rescuers.
“Chief Brovdir wouldn’t wallop a flea,” Niloc muttered, and Trinia huffed out a shocked laugh.
Brovdir had led a life of brutal fighting and turmoil, only to enter Rove Wood Clan and become known as the chief who wouldn’t wallop a flea.
The elder turned back to the group of nearly thirty orc sons who were now all braced to pull the wall back into place. “Remember what I taught you. Lean into the Fades light. Use their magic to fuel your intention.”
The look of concentration on the boys’ faces was adorable.
They’d done it.
They’d stopped the sinkhole.
And now they were going to right the wall.
Everything would be okay!
Niloc tugged at her leg, and she let out a hiss as pain bloomed sharply in her ankle.
“Trinia!”
She snapped her gaze to where Brovdir was now trying to edge his way down from the wall.
“Chief Brovdir,stop moving!” the elder demanded. “I told you to just sit still. You need to be patient and wait until we’re completely done!”
“Then stop hurting her!”
“I’mfine, Brovdir,” she insisted. Though, truly, the only thing she wanted was for Brovdir to come down and sweep her off her feet.
She really did love him, didn’t she?
Brovdir grumbled with irritation but settled back down.
“Now, on my count, boys. One, two,heave!”
Trinia watched in awe as the group of boys, with beaded brows and trembling muscles,heavedthe wall forward.
Way too hard.
The wall snapped upright in an instant and Brovdir was launched off it like a shot! He flew through the air and landed right in the sinkhole.
“Brovdir!” Trinia cried, but he burst up from the surface immediately.
