Page 55 of The Orc Chief's Baker
“It is thepeacethat has forced me to hold my tongue.” Sythcol’s voice was clipped with determination. “Until now, the sinkholes have only formed within the borders of our clan. There was no threat to your village. I did not want to cause needless panic.”
“But now thereisa threat.”
“Yes, and now I know how to stop them. I just need time.”
“But how much time?Howare you going to stop them?”
“I can’t get into that now.” Sythcol waved her off and anger bloomed at the back of her throat. “But they will be stopped completely by the end of the season. Of that I can assure you. We are in winter. None from the village walk these woods at this time.”
“I do.”
“You are an anomaly, Trinia. Please, see it from my side. How would your people have reacted had they been told sinkholes were opening up? I know many are already talking of leaving the village and resettling outside these woods.”
She sucked in a breath, wanting to refute him, wanting to tell him he was wrong. That they wouldn’t have panicked, that they wouldn’t have left. She wanted to insist that Headman Gerald would have handled it.
But then the memories of the first trade with the warriors flashed in her mind. Of the day more than half the villagers hadn’t gone despite the boons. Somestillrefused to attend. Rumors about the warriors were constant. Negative gossip spread like wildfire.
Her sister’s voice echoed in her mind.“Plenty of folks are talking about leaving since the warrior orcs started to settle here.”
She didn’t want to admit Sythcol was right, but he was. Her people would have panicked in the worst way.
“You... still need to at least tell Headman Gerald,” Trinia insisted. “He would never do anything to threaten the peace. And I can’t lie for you, Sythcol. I’m not going to keep your secrets for you.”
“I understand. All I ask for is time. Can we speak on this tomorrow? When it’s not so fresh and emotions are not so high? Please.”
Trinia let out a long breath. She couldn’t blame Sythcol for being cautious. Since Chief Ergoth’s betrayal had come to light, everything had been tense. The cruelty and manipulation of the former chief had shocked the villagers into intense disquiet because no one had seen it coming. They had all liked Ergoth. They’d all thought he was a good leader who put peace first.
But they had been wrong.
And since that moment, Sythcol had done everything in his power to keep their communities banded together. He’d gone to every trade, chatted with every merchant, met with the villagers who were wary, and proved to them that the orcs wanted nothing but goodwill between their peoples.
“Trinia?” Sythcol pressed softly. “Tomorrow? Please?”
She exhaled hard. And nodded.
“Thank you.” Sythcol’s own breath left in a whoosh.
“Trinia.”
She snapped her gaze to Brovdir. She’d been so caught up in the debate with Sythcol she’d nearly forgotten... he was chief too. What was his say in all this?
Did... he want to hide the sinkholes from her village?
But when she searched his face, all she saw was a mask of concern. His glowing eyes were stuck on her cheek, which stung from the cut. His fists were curled. His chest and arms were coated with mud...
And so was she. She was a right state, soaked to the bone and caked with grime. She was shivering so hard she felt like she might vibrate right out of her own skin.
“Here.” She turned to find Sythcol digging in the sleeve of his robe. He produced a small green vial and tossed it over.
Brovdir caught it with ease. Then he paused, eyes narrowed at Sythcol for a long moment before he grated. “Robe too.”
Sythcol’s nose screwed up and Trinia might have laughed under other circumstances. “Excuse me?”
“The robe. For her.”
Sythcol’s scowl deepened, but, surprisingly, he conceded with a puff of irritation. “Fine. Here.” He quickly emptied the pockets and sleeves of the dark brown cloak, piled up his belongings on a nearby rock, and shrugged it off.
Brovdir took it and brought it back to her, but he uncorked the vial first. A light minty scent flooded her nose, telling her this was a magical healing tincture.
