Page 90 of The Orc Outcast's Miracle

“I’m okay,” she whispered, a desperate attempt to reassure him. She wanted to reassure herself too.

“Evythiken,” Karthoc roared hand on his head. The seer barely flinched. “What the fuck was that?”

The sentiment was repeated by everyone around, questions and shock rippled through the crowd.

Miranda’s heart twisted as she noticed most of the kids running back to their parents, faces pale. A few were crying. Some orcs seemed dizzy. Others simply stared at her with wide eyes.

Her gaze moved to the group she’d been getting acquainted with. They looked equally disheveled. Aralie, in particular, was pale and shivering. Her boys were tucked into her body, hiding their faces. Her mate had her tight against his side.

Before Miranda could find her words, Savili stammered, bouncing Haysik. “Are... uh—are you all right?”

“I’m . . . fine.”

The woman gulped, opened her mouth, closed it, and looked to her mate.

“Miranda,” Roenia called from the other side of the table. “Are you... really from that other world?”

Oh fuck. Miranda’s gut twisted as she noted how many eyes were on her. Not just from their group, but from the entire clan.

She looked up to Govek, and he leaned in close. “Evythiken projected.”

“Projected?” she whispered, resting her forehead against Govek’s face. She felt so heavy.

“I apologize.” Evythiken said soft and low. “It was... not intentional.”

“We saw it in our minds,” Govek murmured. “The way you saw it in your own.”

Oh fuck.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Karthoc’s roar made Miranda jump and her heart exploded into a frantic rhythm.

But he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at... Miranda turned her head to find Karthoc’s glare was narrowed on Ergoth, who was at the very end of the table, a few steps away from the long bench that she’d been sitting on.

“What am I doing? What is she doing with the seer? What was that?”

“Don’t try to deflect,” Karthoc said, pointing a massive threatening finger as he charged over to the male. To Ergoth’s credit, he did manage to stand his ground. “I saw you push the bench and knock her over.”

Miranda felt Govek tense, and she quickly worked to soothe him. “I’m okay.”

“Ha! You think I would do something so petty?” Ergoth snorted. “Your bad opinion of me is unfair, my nephew. And even if I had bumped it by mistake, I could never have moved it with so many seated upon it.”

That seemed logical. The bench spanned nearly thirty feet and had five other orcs sitting on it aside from their group.

“Quiet.”

Evythiken’s words flattened the room, dulled it like he’d smothered everyone in a blanket. Even the colors seemed distorted, muted. Miranda clung to Govek, confusion coursed through her overtaxed mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and welcomed the dark.

“You are not of Faeda, Miranda,” Evythiken said, his voice crisp, clear. She forced her eyes open again and found him in front of her, breathing hard. “By the will of Fades, what was that?”

Miranda gulped, mouth dry, throat closed, but the word came anyway. “War.”

“War,” Evythiken repeated.

“My world was Earth,” she said slowly. Govek’s hands moved up her arms, steadied her, cleaving her to his chest. “I lived on a planet called Earth, and we killed it. With war.”

Evythiken hissed and braced himself on the table. A million voices sounded at once.

“Silence!” Karthoc hollered again, and the venom caused quiet to descend. “Govek, explain this.”

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