Page 100 of The Orc Chief's Baker
“Are you serious?” She whirled on her former friends. “You locked me in here?”
“Just until you talk to Sythcol. He’ll help you understand why it’s so important not to get Headman Gerald involved,” Savili said. “Just wait for him.Please.”
Trinia’s anger felt like magma burning the back of her throat. “What thefuckis wrong with everyone locking me up and forcing their will down my throat? You’re no better than my sister! I thought you were my friends, but friends would never do something as heinous as this.”
“Trinia, that’snotwhat we’re trying to do.” Savili’s face was pale.
“We’re just asking you to wait for a moment,” Iytier said. “I’ll send a bird now and Sythcol will be here faster than you can finish your cup of tea.”
But there could benowaiting in this. Her blood boiled. Every quaking bit of her rebelled. She may as well have been back in Oakwall, locked in her former home, with her sister screeching and Ronhold leering and his son whining.
With her father passed out drunk in the corner.
With her mother coughing wretchedly in the bedroom.
With the walls closing in all around her and no way out.
“Let. Me. Out!”Trinia slapped her hand to the door so hard it stung.“Ouch!”
The front door exploded off its hinges and flew into the room with a deafening crash.
Brovdir stormed inside. His footfalls sounded like thunder and the fire in his eyes burned right through her. She had no time to back up before he was suddenly upon her. He swung her up from the ground, cradling her to his chest. Her breath caught in her throat.
“Put me down right now!” she demanded as he carried her across the room. “Right. Now! Brovdir, I mean it!”
He plunked her down on the ground outside of Iytier and Savili’s home.
She blinked in surprise. He’d faced her right toward the path out of the clan.
“Go,” he said. “I will escort.”
“Brovdir, you can’t!”
Iytier barreled out of their home and Savili was close on his heels until Haysik’s cry sounded above them. She shot Trinia one last worried look before disappearing back into the tree.
“She has to talk to Sythcol first, Brovdir! You know that!”
Brovdir pushed her behind him and growled low. “No.”
“Brovdir, he’ll be furious.”
“I willnothold her prisoner.”
“So instead, you’ll let her tell her village without any preparation and risk themleaving? If they leave these woods, they’lldie.”
Trinia’s breath caught in her throat as she searched Iytier’s face. “What do you meandie? Are you talking about the war? Or the winter storms?”
Iytier’s expression went stricken. “I shouldn’t have said that. We need to wait for Sythcol. He’ll tell you what he thinks you should know.”
“And by that, you mean he’ll tell menothing,” Trinia snapped and Iytier looked away. “How can you tell me all this and expect menotto tell Headman Gerald about it?”
“We’ve been friends a long time, Trinia.” Iytier looked into her eyes and her throat closed up at the pleading she saw in his expression. “My mate and you have been close since you were babes.Please, just trust us.”
Trinia’s hands began to shake. She felt like she was being ripped in two. Torn between lifelong friendship and a desperate need to do what felt right in her soul.
“I will tell you.”
Trinia blinked rapidly and snapped her gaze to Brovdir. He regarded her with a level, calm expression that eased her tension in an instant. “I will tell you all, Trinia.”
