Page 3 of Captured By the Orc

He doesn’t respond. He simply turns on his heel and strides away, leaving me alone with the ship’s oppressive hum and the gnawing fear in my gut.

The air is thick with the stench of sweat and something else, something metallic and alien.

“Fantastic,” I mutter under my breath, pacing the confines of my cell like a caged lioness. “First month as a diplomat and I’m in a bloody brig.”

Just as I’m about to resign myself to a fate worse than death, a clatter from outside my cell makes me jump. I press myself against the bars, straining to see through the dim light. There’s movement in the shadows, the sound of heavy footsteps approaching.

“Back for more delightful banter?” I call out, hoping my words carry enough bravado to mask the apprehension gnawing at me.

But it’s the same orc who brought me here. Is he the only one on onboard with me? Wouldn’t doubt it since the little bits of seen of his ship.

A cruel glint in his eyes, his gaze devoid of the spark of… curiosity? Maybe I imagined it. My stomach churns with a fresh wave of dread.

“Garoth has plans for you, human,” he grunts, his words sending a chill down my spine. “Plans that don’t involve negotiations.”

A bitter laugh escapes my lips. “I’m flattered,” I reply. “Though considering the current state of my accommodations, I can’t imagine anything more delightful than a decent meal and a bed that doesn’t feel like it was forged in the fires of orc-hell.”

He laughs and leaves me.

Feels like forever as I try to pry the lock open. But finally, I give up and slump against the back wall of the cage. I just need to stay sharp. Something will happen and I’ll be able to escape.

My stomach growls and I had planned on eating after my warlords’ meeting. Now with the adrenaline fading, I’m starving.

“Hey, orc, I’m hungry!” I yell.

He appears a moment later and I’m sure this ship of his is even smaller than I first thought.

“There will be no meals, human, only… entertainment.” He leers at me, his gaze lingering on my body in a way that makes my skin crawl.

“Oh, goody,” I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes — although I doubt he can see the gesture. “Just what I always wanted, to be the entertainment for a barbaric thug.”

He takes a menacing step closer, the bars of the cage the only thing separating us.

“Careful, now,” I warn. “Wouldn’t want your delicate sensibilities to be offended by a little human sass.”

He ignores my jab, his eyes narrowing further. “You think you are brave, human? That you can defy Garoth?”

So that’s his name. I straighten my shoulders, forcing a bravado I don’t entirely feel. “Whether I’m brave or not is irrelevant. I’m here on a mission. Release me or you’ll have a battle on your hands.”

He throws his head back and laughs again, the sound echoing through the metal halls. “A fight, you say? We orcs enjoy a good one. But some fights…” his tone dropping to a low rumble,”…end very differently than you might expect.”

There’s something in his words, in the way he looks at me. Is it fear? Challenge? Or maybe, a strange sense of… attraction? The thought is ridiculous, absurd even. This hulking orc warrior, my captor, could probably crush me with one hand.

Before I can explore this unwelcome thought further, the lights flicker and die, plunging the room into darkness. The alarms blare to life, a shrill, piercing sound that sends a jolt of adrenaline through me.

“Power failure?” I breathe, my bravado gone. Perfect timing. And maybe my crew have beaten the enemy and found me gone so they’re here for a rescue mission.

Go, Team, go!

Yet, the silence stretches, broken only by the ship’s rhythmic clanging and the pounding of my own heart. In the blackness, I can almost feel the orc’s gaze on me, a predator assessing its prey.

“Seems like entertainment might have to wait,” a male rumbles from the shadows. “Unless you’re afraid of a little darkness, human?”

“Darkness doesn’t scare me,” I retort, my tone regaining some of its usual defiance.

There’s a beat of silence, then a gruff chuckle from the darkness. “We’ll see about that, human.”

And even though his footsteps faded away, I have the unsettling feeling of being watched, even in the dark.

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