Page 118 of The Orc Outcast's Mate

“I have better use for my memory, dear,” Glenna teased, but then she looked at Miranda. “I’ll remember your name, though.” Miranda tensed as she finished. “Miranda is an odd one.”

“I hope odd isn’t bad.”

“Certainly not,” one of the younger women, Renni, said. She had cropped short black hair and very dark brown eyes. “In fact, it’s better. Adds variety.”

“And it is very pretty,” the woman on her opposite, Aviah, said. She had tanned skin and large brown eyes and a smooth voice. “Is it a family name?”

“Oh, uh. I’m not sure,” Miranda said. “My family died when I was little.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Glenna said with genuine concern.

“It’s okay,” Miranda assured them. “I was only three. I barely remember it.”

“Well, we’re happy to be your family now. I am Hilva. It’s an easy one, so I am sure you will remember,” the youngest at the table said. Her sharp, pale eyes kept shifting to an orc at the opposite table and Miranda assumed he was her mate.

“Thank you for the welcome, Hilva,” Miranda said carefully, uncertain about the inflection the young blonde woman had used. To test it, she continued, “Govek has made me feel like family already.”

Hilva’s expression pinched, confirming Miranda’s suspicion.

Beleda quickly changed the subject. “Are you coming with us to the trade tomorrow?”

“Uh, yeah, I think so. Govek is telling the chief now,” Miranda replied absently as an orc approached Hilva and whispered something in her ear that made the girl gasp.

“Do you mean... Govek isn’t coming too, is he?” one of the other women asked, drawing her attention away.

All eyes were suddenly on her, and the whispering stopped.

“That’s the plan,” Miranda said quietly.

Murmurs shot up from the adjoining tables, but before the women could do anything but gasp, Beleda said, “Oakwall will be glad to trade with Govek again. He typically takes hunting requests. I’ve heard a few people talk about missing them.”

Miranda’s tension eased slightly at that, even though Hilva was back to whispering.

“In fact, if you want, Govek could linger behind and I could be a guide to you. Show you where the best wares are. Then you could take the hunting orders back to him when we return from the trade,” Beleda offered.

“That’s a fine idea,” Aviah said with a relieved smile.

“Oh, uh, no. I don’t think—” Miranda glanced between Hilva, who had just spouted something like “we have to tell her,” and Beleda, who was now rigid.

Miranda had enough.

“Look, either tell me what you’re whispering about or knock it off.”

Hilva did not hesitate, thank god, “He lied to you.”

“Hilva!” Beleda cut in.

“He did!” Hilva said, her cheeks reddening. “We’re really going to just let him get away with it?”

“It isn’t our place to interfere.”

“Welp, ladies, that ship has sailed. You’ve interfered,” Miranda said. “So, you’d better get on with spilling the rest of those beans.”

The women looked between each other, clearly not quite understanding.

“Just tell me.”

Finally, Beleda sighed and spoke up. “He told you that a butcher cut that meat.”

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