Page 117 of The Orc Outcast's Miracle

Govek snorted, obviously amused. “Then we should let him continue in his anguish. Keep ignoring him for now.”

Karthoc chuckled. “Fine, fine. But I still expect you to be the one to select his punishment. If you don’t want to use magic, I think cutting out his tongue would be fitting.”

Miranda tensed at the brutality of that offer but tried not to let her feelings on the matter show too much. If Govek wanted that, she would support it. Ergoth certainly deserved it and more.

“No. Do not. Let me think on it for a spell.”

“Suit yourself.”

A knock sounded at the door and before anyone could move, it swung open.

The seer stood in the doorway.

Miranda’s gut clenched as he moved inside. Her mind flipped through a million thoughts. What was he planning now? What had he needed to tell her?

Was she... ready to dredge with him yet?

Despite everything, she still wanted to. The need burned in her chest as pure and crisp as that blinding white light she kept seeing in her mind.

“Greetings, do you mind if I join?” The seer closed the door behind him so the heat wouldn’t escape.

Govek scowled, glancing between the seer and her. She knew he was struggling with this, knew he worried about her. She worried too, but not enough to drown out that bone-deep urge to take the seer’s hand. It simmered in the back of her mind, and the closer the seer got, the closer she came to boiling over.

So, Miranda gulped and said, “Come on in. There’s plenty of soup.”

Evythiken’s face went tense and Karthoc piped up. “You aren’t planning on actually feeding us that soup, are you?”

Miranda would have been insulted if she’d been the one that made it. Or if it wasn’t so obviously disgusting.

And yet . . .

“Savili and Viravia made this for us,” Miranda said, torn now on what to do. “We should at least try it.”

“The fish has gone off,” Govek said.

“What? How do you know?”

“The scent. They must not have used the fish from today.”

She dropped the ladle. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You seemed happy to have something to do,” Govek said softly.

“Oh, for crying out...” Miranda trailed off as Karthoc tried to hide his snickering. “This is your fault, Karthoc. I would be doing Govek right now if you hadn’t shown up two minutes after we got home.”

Karthoc was roaring with laughter now. Govek too.

Miranda managed over the males’ loud mirth. “Come on in, seer. Have a seat. I promise not to give you food poisoning.”

He came and took his place next to Karthoc while Miranda moved the pot off the stove and put a lid on it to cover the smell.

“Miranda,” the seer said, when she moved to wipe down the counters. “Come and sit. You know we need to talk.”

She tensed. She did know that, and she was ready.

“Can’t this wait? We’ve been through a trial, Evythiken.”

“That depends. Karthoc, do you still plan to leave day after tomorrow?” the seer asked.

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