Page 7 of The Orc Outcast's Mate

“What’s the Great Rove Tree?”

He recovered much faster from the sensations than she did. His gruff expression returned, and he gestured for her to come to him. “One of the Fades great relics. It stands at the center of my clan and its roots tangle out and into other trees for many leagues. Those roots must begin here. You can feel it?”

“Yeah,” she said, slowly moving into his arms. The sensation had dulled a little now. Or maybe she was getting used to it. She closed her eyes, wishing it would come back stronger. “It feels good.”

“The humans of Faeda cannot sense the magic within the Fades relics.”

She blinked up at Govek and put a hand to his chest. “They can’t?” He shook his head. “Then why can I?”

“I know not.” His voice was clipped. “May I carry you?”

She supposed she would just have to be comfortable not knowing. “Yeah. Can I hold the torch?” Govek nodded, handing it to her, then lifted her up and tucked her back into his warmth. The combination of the tingling and Govek’s strength had her feeling almost drowsy. She tightly gripped the torch’s wooden handle.

“We will go this way,” Govek said, continuing down the hall without preamble. “I can scent fresh air ahead.”

“How far?” Even with the light, Miranda was ready to be out of the tunnel.

“Not far.”

Miranda clung to him a little tighter. “And then we’ll just stop off at your former clan. Rove Wood Clan, right?”

“Yes.”

“And from there, we go to your cousin’s forge. Where the seer is.”

“Yes.”

“How far away is it?”

“Half a moon.”

Miranda snorted. “Half a moon? How long is half a moon?”

His wide green eyes blinked. “Around fifteen days.”

“Fifteen days.” Didn’t sound too far, but through war-torn lands... through icy winter chill... fricking tornadoes. “Do you think the tornado is still out there?”

“You called it that before.” Govek adjusted her, examined her face carefully. “You have seen them?”

“Not personally, but Earth had them.”

He hummed quietly. “I have heard tales of these from my cousin. They call them Fade Storms or Fade Wrath. According to him, the orc overlords’ lands are blighted by them, but they have not made it over the mountains to our half of the continent. Until now.”

“Oh, that’s just wonderful.”

“Do you know of any way to prevent them?”

She shook her head. “No. Even on Earth, they were difficult to track. There was some advanced tech that could manage it, but I could never replicate it here.” She considered, “Though I guess I do know the warning signs of them. Hail, strange clouds, green-colored sky...”

Govek nodded slowly, lost in thought.

She scratched at the base of his skull. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I am thinking that the Fades brought you here as a miracle.”

She frowned. “What do you mean by miracle? You think they brought me here to do something? Like stop the storms?” She had no idea how she could do that. The idea made her gut clench.

He must have heard the tremor in her voice because he instantly cut in. “I do not believe they would make demands from you rashly, Miranda. The Fades are not so ruthless. And only they can see the future. Well, them and the seers they tell the future to, I suppose.”

---