Page 4 of The Orc Outcast's Mate

How would they go about doing that? How big was Faeda?

It didn’t matter. She’d search to the ends of this world to find her babies if they were here.

Were they here?

Desperation made her rational thoughts hazy and her gut twisted, gnawing at the corners of her mind, eating away all logic at how impossible the odds of them being here on Faeda were.

She’d made it here. Why couldn’t they?

Her stomach twisted with anticipation. “If they’re here, they need me, Govek. I have to find them.”

“I...” Govek’s voice broke, betraying the truth that he would have no idea how to find her babies if they were here. He’d already told her that these lands were war torn. Ravaged. It would be difficult enough to travel to his cousin’s home. Finding toddlers from another planet was out of the question.

And yet, “You told me of an orc seer. Do you think the seer would know? Would he know if they were here and where they are now?”

Govek’s chest was so tight it felt like iron under her palms. She heard him swallow hard. “He... could. His power is immeasurable. If the Fades will him to know, then he will.”

Miranda’s head burst at the idea. What if she could find out what happened to them? What if they could be reunited? What if she hadn’t been the only one to survive?

What if... what if they were dropped into the icy forests of Faeda too?

What if they were lost, and hungry, and cold, and crying.

Crying for her.

They needed her.

She hadn’t gone back for them on Earth. She hadn’t gone back.

She wouldn’t make that same mistake again.

Hot tears coursed down her cheeks. “I have to find them.”

“Then we must get to Baelrok Forge and speak with the seer. But first we must escape this goblin mine,” Govek said. “Rest easy, Miranda. I will carry you through.”

New hope rose warm in her chest and spread through her limbs.

She would find them. With Govek’s help, she would.

She wanted to thank him, but words didn’t seem like enough. She wasn’t sure anything she ever did would be enough.

“I can see five things,” Govek said.

Miranda tensed as Govek got to his feet, rising to begin walking in the complete darkness. Black but for one thing. Her eyes snapped to his face, the sight finally registering. “Your eyes are glowing. They glow green?”

He blinked. Cutting off all the light for the split of a second. She tensed, wanting to order him not to blink again, but she knew that was unfair.

“You hadn’t noticed?”

She shook her head. Touched his cheek. “I didn’t. It’s kinda neat.” The glow widened and her lips twitched. “I had toys on Earth that glowed in the dark like that.”

His eyes went even wider. “I hate to disappoint but my cock does not share this feature.”

Her breath hitched, and she managed a half laugh. “Oh god. Not that kind of toy. I meant as a kid...” His gaze softened and her tension softened too. At least until her throat closed up and her eyes started to prickle and hot tears coursed down her cheeks again.

Earth was gone.

She clenched her fists and ground her teeth together, shoving the thoughts to the back of her mind. Back so far they couldn’t hurt anymore.

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