Page 96 of The Orc Outcast's Miracle

“Who would be named chief if both you and Ergoth died?” She flinched, let him go and looked around. “Knock on wood. Where’s some wood?”

He watched, completely flummoxed as she went and rapped her fingers against a tree trunk. “What are you doing?”

“I mentioned your death, so I’m warding off the bad luck. The knocking scares off evil energy.”

He paused for a moment before saying slowly, “I know that. I’m well aware. Did one of the women tell you to do that?”

“No.” She came back to his side. “No, it’s an Earth thing.”

“That is a Faeda thing,” he insisted. “Sometimes knocking can dispel magic. Especially negative magic. I thought you said you did not have magic on Earth?”

“We don’t. But lots of people believed in energies. Both good and bad.” She paused, taking a breath to search his face. “I guess you have it here too, huh? The same superstition. That’s really weird. Maybe the Fades really did create the humans on Earth.”

She said it so casually, but it struck him right through the gut.

“You should finish up your food.” She tapped his half-forgotten sandwich, and he dutifully continued eating, relishing each bite, even as he considered what other parts of Faeda culture had been passed on to Miranda’s world. What other connections would they share as their relationship progressed?

He could not wait to find out.

“Mostly, we did the knocking thing with the little kids.” Her eyes unfocused as she fell into her memories. “Some of them, a lot of them really, had a hard time when they made small mistakes. Like tripping or spilling juice or coloring outside the lines. It got them distracted cause almost nothing was created from wood on Earth anymore. By the time they found their wooden thing and knocked on it, they’d forgotten about their mess-up entirely.”

She had so many wonderfully sweet stories and he longed for the day she could share them without tears flooding her beautiful eyes.

It would take time. Mourning. She was in the thick of it and he knew of at least something small that might aid her.

“Would you like to speak a bard for them?” he asked. “For the children you lost.”

“What?” She tipped her head, blinking tears out of her eyes.

“In my culture, we speak final words to those who depart. The rituals are long but hold great power, and once done, the Fades call their soul to come and sleep with them. They live in peace and harmony while they wait for waking and rebirth.”

“That’s beautiful,” she said, as she hugged his arm again. She looked back to the tree canopy. “But the children I watched weren’t even from here.”

“I do not think the Fades would discriminate. I truly believe they made your people too, Miranda. The humans of Earth were also their creations, so of course they would allow the babies you loved to join them here on Faeda.” He met her wide eyes. “In a way, that would make them closer to you as well. You could sleep easy knowing their presence was around you.”

Her eyes flooded then, tears dripping down her face. “Oh Govek, that’s so... Okay. Yeah. I would really like that.” She paused in her stride to embrace him around his stomach, squeezing him tight. He relished the feel of her clinging to him. “Thank you, Govek. So much.”

“Of course, Miranda.” He hid his beaming smile against the top of her head, lest she take his deep pleasure the wrong way. But blast, this felt so good. Caring for her. Soothing her. Teaching her of his culture and using it to help bring her peace. It made him feel as if she truly belonged on Faeda with him, rather than simply being planted here by the Fades. Like her world and his were becoming one.

They continued on in easy silence, weaving through the trees toward the spring he and Iytier had agreed to have this competition at. Govek remembered the last time he was here with Iytier. Tavggol had only just left to try to do trade with Clairton. Govek’s tension had been high, his thoughts muddled and unfocused on the task at hand.

And Iytier had thought they were competing.

The truth of it still made mirth bubble up in his chest and he chuckled over the ridiculousness of it.

“What is funny?”

Karthoc startled them both as he appeared out of the thick woods on their left. He’d been tromping through the forest rather than taking a path.

The warlord’s expression wasn’t overly tense. His eyes lingered on Miranda. “Woman, I wish to apologize to you.”

Miranda clutched Govek’s hand in surprise, and the sensation mirrored what was in Govek’s own chest. His cousin was rarely moved to remorse. Karthoc was oft more like a boulder barreling down a steep slope, crushing everything in its path and not looking back.

But the warlord lowered his head this time. “My arguments with the seer should not have been allowed to leave our camp. I regret bringing them out so openly, and that you felt discomfort enough to leave the hall.”

Miranda glanced up at Govek, lips pursed. “Are you more upset about us being uncomfortable or that we all now know that Evythiken is fighting for you all to stay in the Rove Woods?”

Govek tensed as Karthoc’s expression darkened, but the male lowered his head again with a deep sigh that vibrated through the surrounding trees. “Both. Fuck, the blasted orcs won’t leave me alone now.”

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