Page 84 of The Orc Outcast's Conquest

MIRANDA

The woods were uncomfortably quiet.

Miranda hurried to keep up with Govek’s quick pace, but the crunching of leaves and twigs under their feet was the only thing that broke the eerie silence. She’d grown accustomed to the constant chatter of birds and her ears ached to hear them again. They’d clearly sensed the descent of the deadly storm charging the air and gone off to hide.

Much like she and Govek should be doing now.

“How far is the spring? We’re not going all the way back to the one from yesterday are we?” she asked,

“No, but the closest is still fairly far.” Govek didn’t break his stride though he did glance back to ensure she was keeping up. “Further than I would like, but there’s no game about other than the rabbit I found, so I must try to catch fish. And we need water.”

“How long will the blizzard last?” she asked as Govek turned to help her over a huge log he’d just hopped like it was nothing. She took his warm hand in hers, letting it soothe her icy fingers.

“Hard to say. We’ll get as much as we can.” He helped her to the ground before releasing her. She hurried after him, watching his back become more tense.

She was disquieted at how worried he was, how uncertain. She wished they could go back to last night and forget about the troubles of today. Of yesterday. Everything.

They would be trapped in that cave until the blizzard passed. Her skin broke out into prickling goosebumps and her stomach twisted so hard she thought she might vomit.

“Fades willing, we’ll be able to gather enough to last us,” he said.

Desperate for a reprieve from her own turmoil, she said, “Tell me about them. The Fades.”

Govek glanced at her again, searching her face. “Are you well?”

She gulped hard and forced a nod.

He let out a hum laced with irritation before stopping to hold out his hand. She took it gladly and even though hiking through the woods like this slowed their pace, he didn’t complain or let her go.

She gave his hand a thankful squeeze and he let out a contented huff before saying. “There are many legends about the Fades. Most prominently, it is believed that they now sleep deep beneath the surface of our world.”

“They’re asleep?”

“Supposedly. There is a sylph legend that the Fades have gone, that they abandoned this world long ago to seek new ones, but most do not believe so. Most say they grew tired. That they gave their powers to the sentinels, created humans so we could maintain our numbers without their aid, and fell into slumber.”

“They created humans to maintain your numbers? So, like... to be breeders for you?”

“In a way. It is said that when sentinels were created, we were made to be completely individual. The Fades gave us each a specific task, and we did not speak to or work among one another. We had no community. No help other than from the Fades themselves. And when we grew sick or wounded, we perished, and the Fades would create another to replace us.”

“Wow, that... sounds like a pretty bleak existence.” Almost like they were robots.

“Perhaps, but there are no legends about sentinels being discontent with their work or communion. The only mention of it was in a sylph tale that describes the celebration held when humans were finally born. That the sentinels rejoiced upon hearing that the humans would be the ones to maintain our races while we maintained the planet.”

Maintain their races? “That makes it sound like humans are supposed to be subservient to the sentinels.”

He cast her a dark look. “That is one opinion that sparks the Waking Order’s hate of us.”

Miranda’s throat went tight. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just trying to understand.”

“I know,” he said, stroking his thumb over the back of her hand. “I try to understand as well. I often wonder why humans hold the belief that maintaining our communities is less valued than maintaining Faeda.”

“It’s not that,” Miranda looked up to meet his eyes. “It’s being told that we have to maintain the community. That we can’t help with the planet instead, even if that’s what we prefer. It’s not about value, it’s about being forced.”

Govek hummed in thought, looking up at the colorful canopy. “I hadn’t considered this. As I said, sentinels were created with one purpose, and none have questioned that purpose.”

“Huh, I can see where there would be a breakdown between the societies then.” Miranda gave his hand a squeeze. “A huge misunderstanding where one side wants freedom, and the other does not understand why they would.”

Govek paused in his stride to search her face before finally saying, “You make it sound so simple. And yet I cannot see any solution. Humans cannot commune with the Fades. They were not created with the ability to do so. And no amount of slaughter and war is going to change that fact.”

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