Page 25 of The Orc's Wife

“Your… your teeth,” I said weakly. I shouldn’t have said anything, but all that had happened left me strangely numb and unable to control what came out of my mouth.

But Oriana didn’t seem offended. She grinned wider, showing them off. She looked proud.

“There’s a human artificer who makes new teeth for those who lost theirs. I requested he make me orc teeth.”

I nodded weakly. I could see what everyone meant about her. Oriana was frightening. But maybe she had to be to survive as a human woman who was an honorary orc. Maybe this was who I would have to become, too.

“Dilba, come closer. What do you think?”

The orc female, who looked nothing like Urzulah now that I could see her closely, came forward. She wore colorful feathers fancifully braided in her white hair, and a breathtaking purple dress that shimmered when she moved. Her face was wrinkled, which meant that she must be old for an orc. Orcs didn’t age much until very late in life.

“Dilba is my personal seamstress. The only orc seamstress. She is the best in the capital, and she doesn’t serve scum.”

Was she talking down to me, calling me scum in some veiled way?

“Scum as in who?” I asked, jutting my chin out. My fear was dissipating, leaving in its wake a hot, stuffy feeling. Anger.

“Scum as in the turd that has just left. Pay attention, Dilba’s here to dress you. Her mother’s human, you know. That’s why she needs a job, because many orcs won’t employ her. For which I am very grateful.”

Dilba tsked impatiently at Oriana.

“Shut up, you old hag. I’m thinking.”

I gaped at them, expecting Oriana to kick Dilba with those boots of her, but she just smiled and turned to Mina. While Dilba was looking at me, and then telling me to turn this way and that, Oriana was giving Mina a chewing out.

“So, she scratched you. Are you a baby, to be afraid of a scratch? Really, I thought my grandson had more loyal servants. I’ll talk to him about you, you know. For now, give me the key. You’re not fit to take care of my family.”

Being called Oriana’s family gave me a warm, fluttery feeling inside. But I ignored it and spoke up.

“Any normal person would piss themselves if Urzulah pounced on them,” I said. “She’s mad. Mina had a right to be afraid.”

Oriana turned to me with a feral snarl. I clenched my teeth to keep myself from flinching. She really was scary.

“You almost died because of your incompetent servant. Do you value your life so little? Say, have you and Urgan mated?”

The sudden change of topic made me answer her without thinking.

“Of course.”

“Then you’re not just responsible for yourself!” Oriana snapped. “You may be carrying his cub! You are responsible for your baby. You cannot die.” She shook her head with a sigh. “I don’t know, girl. I thought I saw something in you, but right now, you’re turning into a disappointment.”

And why were my eyes filling with tears now? I was hurt, and angry, and now also terrified for the fate of the baby I might be carrying.

Could I even be carrying a baby? We had first mated five days before. While Urgan had told me orc seed was fast, strong, and very fertile, it seemed much too soon.

But if there indeed was a new life growing inside me, it would have died today if Urzulah killed me. I needed to work harder to protect myself and the maybe-baby. I would have to listen better, learn, take orders without flinching.

It was the only way to protect my family.

I sighed, clenching my jaw. No matter what Oriana ordered me to do, I would listen. She was strong and still alive despite living years among orcs. Like Urgan, she had a hard, unflinching soul. I would do whatever she wanted, and I would listen to Urgan, and somehow, it would all be good. If only I managed to obey everyone.

I promised myself I’d obey, no matter how hard it was.

“Strip.”

I blinked at Dilba, who was now standing by my side, tugging the hem of my shirt up.

“I can’t see anything when you’re wearing this sack. Off with it.”

---