Page 16 of The Widow and the Orcs

ButthenKillikstumbled backwards, away.Themovements jerky and stiff, his eyes wide and disbelieving onLouisa’sface, on her own parted lips.Andwhat the hell had she been thinking, he didn’t want her, and she didn’t want him.Shewanted to escapeLordScall, live her life on her own terms, find her own peace, and that was all.

AndsuddenlyLouisacouldn’t bear to stay here, to look at him for another moment.Andwith a hard, wrenching yank, she tore her sleeves free of the dagger, and spun toward the house.

“Tonight,” she hissed, over her shoulder, blinking back the prickling behind her eyes. “Wetell him everything, orI’mdone.”

10

Louisa’sgrim determination lasted only as long as it took to reach the house.WhereGladysslammed the kitchen door shut, and rounded on her with narrow, incredulous eyes.

“Withall due respect, missus,” she hissed, “what in the gods’ names are you doing, allowing those orcs on the property!Diggingtunnelsin the well!”

Louisa’shead was already beginning to ache, and she drew in breath — but now here wasJoan, stalking up out of the cellar, her face hard. “Don’tlike to whinge,Lou,” she said. “ButGladysis right.It’snot safe.Mostof all with the little ones.Eliseis overwrought, and won’t come up.Won’tlet the little ones out, either.”

Louisawinced toward the cellar door, and then shot a helpless glance around at the kitchen’s empty shelves. “Look,Ihave full sympathy for your concerns,” she replied woodenly, “but it’s either this, orIsell.Theorcs have committed to helping us, and —”

“Helpingus,”Gladysinterrupted, her voice rising. “Helpingthemselvestous, you mean!Didyou not notice that huge orc pawing at you earlier?Orwhat he was growing in his trousers as he did it?”

Louisa’sface flooded with heat, and she fought to shove away the vivid vision ofUlfarr’stented trousers. “Hewas very polite and respectful,” she said firmly. “Muchmore than many humansIcould name.Surelyyou can admit that tolerating a few orcs is still preferable to handing over the property to someone likeRikard?”

Hervoice sounded pleading, and she didn’t missGladysandJoan’sbrief exchanged glance, or the sudden tightness onJoan’smouth. “Look, yeah, anything’s better thanRikard,”Joanfinally replied, with a sigh. “It’sjust —”

Shebroke off at the sound of a knock at the nearby door, and strode over to open it — and then startled to stillness, because standing in the door was —Halthorr.Thelean, friendly orc from the well, and he was carefully smiling atJoan’sshocked face, and thrusting out a paper-wrapped package toward her.

“Iken you did not wish us at the house,” he said, with a regretful glance towardGladys, “but we wished you to know that the well is now fixed, and safe to drink again.Also” — his gaze dropped back to the package — “Killikwished me to bring you this cake.Itis fresh from our own cook today, with fruit grown from our mountain’s garden.”

Therewas an instant’s awkward silence, andLouisabelatedly drew in breath, and made to go collect the cake — whenJoannodded, and grasped the cake fromHalthorr’soutstretched hands. “Uh, thanks,” she said stiffly. “Forthis, and fixing the well.”

Halthorrwaved it away, though he’d shot a wry glance downwards, to where he was dripping wet, his bare torso gleaming, his trousers drenched tight to his lean, muscled form. “Ach, it was no trouble,” he said, with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Itis only fair, after all the great kindness you have granted us.Ifthere is aught else you might ever need, only come and speak this to any of us, and we shall do our best to help, ach?”

Itwas another very pretty speech, thoughLouisawas still vaguely surprised to seeJoan’scurt nod. “Er, thanks,” she said again. “We’ll— keep that in mind.”

HalthorrflashedJoana broad, toothy smile, and gave another flourishing bow before turning and striding out again, quietly shutting the door behind him.LeavingJoanstanding there warily eyeing the door, whileGladysloudly harrumphed into the silence. “Well,” she said. “Isuppose that one knows his manners, at least.”

Joandidn’t reply, soLouisatook a breath, and went to collect the cake from her unmoving hands. “Well,Icould certainly use some cake,” she said, into the stilted silence. “Joan, do you thinkEliseand the children would like some as well?”

Thisproved to be a productive distraction, thank the gods, and soon the frightened children were exclaiming delightedly over cake, a treat the household’s limited budget had long ago prohibited.AndthoughElisekept leaning heavily againstJoan, her colour slowly returned as she ate several slices of cake, and soon she was even wanly smiling atGladysandJoan’sbanter.Including— once the children had run off —Gladys’ florid tale of the huge orc who’d lickedLouisa’shand, and grown a tree-trunk in his trousers.

Louisalaughed along with them, but her face was burning, and she was deeply relieved when they all dispersed to their tasks for the day, their concerns about orcs apparently forgotten beneath the comforts of clean water and fruitcake.Itwas one challenge dealt with, for the moment, andLouisacouldn’t deny a grudging gratitude towardKillikfor so deftly arranging it.

Butthat brought to mind the entire mess withKillikfrom earlier, and how they’d fought, and how he’d pinned her to that damned tree.Andeven asLouisafought to shove it aside, to focus on her own day’s work, the questions wouldn’t stop scraping through her aching head.WhathadKillikbeen playing at, with all that?Washe truly that concerned aboutUlfarr’swellbeing, about hislife?Andgods above, how much power did he have overUlfarr, if he could promise to deliver him to a strange woman’s bedroom at a specific date and time, without even bothering to inform him in advance?

And, even more disconcerting, ifUlfarrhadn’t known about the plan, why had he still kissedLouisa’shand like that?Perhaps— perhaps that was something he did with every woman he met?Perhapshe often walked around growing tree-trunks in his trousers?Didhe really want her?Wouldhe really want her, when he came tonight?Tonight?

Itwas all so wretchedly unnerving, and it all kept shouting louder and louder as the day plodded on.Andeven a large list of tedious, time-consuming chores offered no relief, and by the time she finished for the day,Louisawas filthy, exhausted, and deeply, desperately anxious.

Shewas doing this, really doing this, for the first time sinceLordScall.Shewas welcoming a new partner — an orc — into her room, and her bed.Tonight.Soon.

Shescarcely tastedElise’ssupper — served with more fruitcake on the side — and then she stomped about hauling hot water for a much-needed bath, which somehow turned tepid the instant she sank into it.Andas she scrubbed herself all over, her heartbeat kept pounding faster, her hands trembling in the water.

Whyhad she ever agreed to this?Whatthe hell was she supposed to say toUlfarr?Whatwas she supposed to wear?Andwhy was she was so completely, utterly terrified?

Sheended up fully dressing again, in the most presentable clothes left in her wardrobe, before combing out her knotted hair as thoroughly as she could.Andthen she straightened the drapes, tidied her room, and neatened her bed — where she found that incriminating stone still hidden beneath her blanket, damn it.Andonce she’d hurriedly cleaned it at the washbasin, she shoved it deep into the wardrobe, and began pacing back and forth, as the sky beyond the window slowly sank into blackness.Killikhad said he would come at nightfall, what if he’d changed his mind, what ifUlfarrhad refused after all, what if —

Arap, quiet but brisk.Atthe door.

Louisarushed toward the door, flinging it open so hard it bounced off the wall beside her.Andyes, no, no, revealing the pair of silent, staring orcs, hovering like two wraiths of doom in the dark hallway.

Theywere here.

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