Page 68 of The Widow and the Orcs

Killik’sexpression didn’t change, but his shoulder shrugged, and without a word, he turned sideways, into another corridor.Onethat tilted back upwards again, maybe toward theSkaiwing.

Andyes, it soon proved to be theSkaiwing, the corridors growing narrower and twistier, the orcs all nodding atKillikas they passed.Thoughsome of them looked troubled, too, and a few looked almost afraid.

“Here,”Killiksaid, with a curt wave of his hand toward a nearby door, cut into the corridor’s stone.AndwhenLouisanodded and ventured through, the room was silent and dark, the light so dim that it took far too long to see him.Orrather, to seethem.UlfarrandSune, sitting together on the floor against the large bed.Ulfarrwith his knees pulled up, his head bowed over them, whileSune’sinjured leg was stretched out on the fur rug, his crutches lying haphazardly on the floor beside him.

Louisafroze in place, and she could feelKillikstilling, too — but then he drew in a deep, shaky breath, grounding himself into the earth. “Ach, what is this?” he said, with passable lightness. “Sune, you ought to be yet in the sickroom, should you not?”

Sune’shead snapped up, his eyes narrowing towardKillik, and in a surprisingly fluid movement, he snatched for his crutches, and leapt up onto his one good leg.Whileone of his hands began furiously signing atKillik, again moving far too fast forLouisato understand, butKillikwas again grounding himself into the floor, and even attempting a not-quite-genuine smile.

“Ach,Icould not be aslug,” he toldSune, raising his brows. “Theyare far too slow, you ken.Mayhapa centipede, if you must.Orbetter yet, a serpent.”

Suneanswered this with an aggrieved roll of his eyes atKillik, and then shoved his way past him, hopping on his crutches toward the door.Butthen he halted and spun back toward them, signing something else.Butas he did it, he wasn’t looking atKillik, or evenUlfarr, but at —Louisa?

Butyes, he was looking at her, and his hand was repeating the signs, again and again.You—— this.You—— this.

Louisablinked at him, and shot a searching look atKillik— who sighed, and shook his head. “Hesays he wishes you to fix this,” he said, under his breath, before shifting his gaze back toSuneagain. “Butyou ken is not so easy to fix, ach?Andafter this, this woman shall not —”

SunecutKillikoff with a flailing wave of his hand, and then he again made those signs — that plea — towardLouisa.Youfix this.YoufixWolf.

Louisaswallowed, but before she could reply,Suneagain spun around, and hopped off into the darkness.Leavingher staring after him, her stomach twisting, whileKillikgroaned, and rubbed both hands at his face.AndwhenLouisaglanced toward him, she found he’d streaked blood all down his cheek, and wait, that wasn’t just blood, was it?Washe — was heweeping?

Heangrily dashed a hand at his eye, turning his face away, butLouisahad seen it, she had.Andwhat was happening, what was this, why didSunethink she could fix it, what the hell was she supposed to do next…

Hereyes darted back towardUlfarron the floor, his big body curled up like that, gone strangely small and quiet.Goneso… wrong.AndasLouisagazed down toward him, her thoughts jolted back to the night before — had it only been the night before? — at the camp, when he’d been so commanding, so easy, so confident.Sounlike this empty, silent shell on the floor, lost in grief and defeat.

Youfix this.Younever ask the right questions.Provethis.Shallyou stand tall with the shamedWolfof theSkai…

Andthen, from longer ago,Ulfarrhimself gripping her hand in her bedroom, pleading at her with wide, miserable eyes.Ihad no intent, cannot bear to bring more shame, more harm, more blood and wrath and death…

AndfinallyLouisa… moved.Steppedon shaky legs toward him, toward the wolf, the kidnapper, the monster…

Andthen she sank to her knees beside him, and carefully reached to take his hand in hers.

“Sweetheart,” she whispered, into the wavering silence. “Ifyou’d like to talk,I’dbe honoured to listen.”

35

Fora moment, nothing happened.Nosound, no movement, not even a twitch fromUlfarrbeside her.

ButLouisadrew in a breath, and drewUlfarr’shand closer.Andthen slowly threaded her fingers through his, feeling how he quivered at her touch, but didn’t resist.Didn’tprotest.

SoLouisajust… kept kneeling there, and waiting.KeptholdingUlfarr’shand, and breathing.Becausesomehow, in the midst of all that, she’d made a decision.Shewasn’t going to offerUlfarreasy excuses, or easy forgiveness.Butbefore she cast her own judgement, she wanted to hear his truth.Hisside of the tale.

Shedidn’t want to ignore this, or forget it.Shewanted to… face it.Tolearn the truth.

Anothermoment passed, with only their breaths breaking the silence, and finally there was — movement, above them.Besidethem.Killik, sinking down to sit onUlfarr’sother side, and clasping his other hand close.

“Mightas well tell her,Wolf,” he said, his gaze fixed on where he was threading his own fingers betweenUlfarr’s, too. “Naughtto lose now, ach?”

Ahard shudder wrenched upUlfarr’sbody between them, and he twitched a nod of his bowed head.Andthough he drew in breath, opened his mouth, no sound came out, only more empty, aching silence.

“MayhapIcan begin this, then,” cameKillik’slow voice. “Shouldyou allow this,Wolf.”

Ulfarrshuddered again, but then, another nod.AndLouisawaited, her heartbeat thudding in her ears, asKillikbreathed deep too, sank himself into the earth.

“Itold you ofWolf’spack, woman,”Killikfinally said, into the silence. “Itold you how this pack was at first a punishment from his fatherAlfver, ach?”

Louisanodded, studied whereKillikwas staring straight ahead, the blood still streaked down his cheek. “Alfverwas the strongest, most feared warrior amongst theSkai,” he continued. “Hebuilt and led our most powerful pack, renowned for its great power in battle.Notonly this, but he also served as our clan’sEnforcer— our keeper of our ways, and our judge and punisher.Alfverwas… a king, amongst us.”

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