Page 7 of The Orc Queen

My senses absorb scents and textures I thought I’d long forgotten. Her face is the first thing I see when my eyes open. She is looming over me and places a damp cloth on my forehead. Her beautiful face is twisted in worry.

Another face comes to obstruct my view and our moment.

“Mother.” I say.

“Imp.” She calls me the name she always used to call me. Though I doubt now it’s out of the same endearment it once held.

The years have taken a toll on her, but she is still strong. I see Aria’s questions behind her eyes. She doesn’t understand anything right now and I can only imagine how confused she is about everything.

“Can I have a moment with my mate first?” I turn my gaze fully to my mother now.

She doesn’t like that. She is used to always being first, especially to me.

“No, Imp,weneed to talk first. You are back and you know what that means. You know the custom.” She says in her Queen Masa voice. I wonder what power dynamics are like now.

“Of course,” I answer simply.

“Tomorrow, at dawn.”

“I accept.”

My mother turns and leaves us.

I see Aria’s facial reaction in my peripheral, she remembers what I said about orc custom when one reenters the community.

I turn to my heart and pull her close. My body is still battered but I will recover. I still can hardly believe we are really here, and we all survived.

“Igor…”

“I know…” I respond.

She doesn’t have to say anything, I know everything she means to say, to ask; everything she feels. My own emotion overwhelms me when I think my woman and children are alive and they are healthy.

Her face melts in tears and she links her forehead with mine. I exhale a long breath. I feel like I can finally exhale fully. The past month has been hell and both of us suffered much without one another.

But we overcame all that and now we are in my realm. I can only hope she isn’t disappointed. I hold her to me as her tears wet my face. She doesn’t close her eyes, just continues staring at me like she is convincing herself I am really here.

I have to wonder what happened while I was still in her realm fighting. The battle had been fierce, and even with Luna, we were greatly outnumbered. There was also the case of protecting Aria’s mother.

We managed to drive many away when they realized they were dealing with monsters, but my already exhausted body was stretched to its limit, and it was pure luck they retreated.

After taking Luna and Margaret back to another house on another side of the kingdom, ensuring their safety, Margaret opened another portal for me.

I hope they haven’t scared Aria with horror stories about me. I know I have a lot to tell her, and I will, but maybe she doesn’t need to be introduced to the reputation my own people hold about me just yet.

“You are dirty.” She says after a while and her tears are starting to dry.

I chuckle. “What are you going to do about that, Dove?” I tease.

She quips an eyebrow but grins. “I am told there is water in the washroom over there.” She says then she looks to be in thought. I know before she speaks it what she wants to ask. “Igor, what is happening at dawn?”

I look at her and raise my exhausted hand to hold her cheek as I wipe her tears with my thumb. “I have to fight for our place within the tribe.”

“But you are still hurt. Can’t they postpone until you are back at your normal strength?”

I smile a sad smile. “It’s one of the four pillars of our law, my love.”

She nods but more tears well in her eyes and I wish at once I could change things for her. For her to not feel this way. But I can’t. And it must be done.

---