Page 5 of Bound to the Orc Renegade

The leader snorts. “Bah, the soul stealers. One of your kind already brought them to our lands.”

“Dravarr did that, along with his moon bound bride, Ashley.” I tip my head in agreement. “But no harm came to yours, and I was one of the orcs who defeated that group of sluagh.” It had been the fiercest battle of my life, when ogres and the soul stealers attacked my village, wanting the human witch enough to take the risk.

The unicorns shift, looking at each other, their ears swiveling, their tails flicking. They’re talking to one another using body language, and even though I’ve been touched by the magic of the speaking stone that allows all the various fae to speak to one another, I can’t tell what they’re saying.

“We will confer.” The leader stomps the ground. “You will camp here tonight.”

I fight down triumph. It might not be a yes, but it’s also not a no.

Sleep refuses to find me as I lay on my furs, one hand behind my head, and gaze up at the stars, so many stars. The sky never looks like this in the forest. Here, it’s all-consuming, spreading across my entire vision, a blanket of purple-black spangled with glittering dots of silvery light. Not even the distant dots of pixies disrupt the view—the tiny winged fae prefer forests to field.

I’m glad I spread my tent flat as a ground cover instead of erecting it.

Faint footsteps sound as a hunting fox pads close, approaching the unicorns. These are the warriors of the herd, and the grumpy bunch of them rest standing, legs locked and splayed, uneasy to have me here even though our peoples have a peace treaty. They shift and snort, and the fox veers off. Theregular animals of Alarria have learned to be wary of the Wild Fae, even those with an animal form.

It’s dark without a moon to light the night. I should sleep.

Yet the moment my eyes flutter shut, bright light flashes over me, and a haunting melody thrums through the air.

I leap to my feet as a moon forms in the sky, lowering to hover in front of me in a pulsing ball of brilliant white shot through with flashes of silver and blue.

The Moon Goddess, come to me and only me. This is a summoning like the stories tell happened centuries ago. Only two orcs have received one in recent weeks, ones the goddess chose to bless with a bride.

My heart leaps in my chest, pounds against my ribs, ready and eager as excitement vibrates through my body.

The goddess’ great magic hums across my skin, raising the hair on the back of my neck and making my tusks ache. The music grows louder, almost forming words. It feels as if I could understand this celestial song if only I strained harder.

The ball condenses, swirling ever faster. Then it flies toward me, splashing across my eyes in a burst of white and knowing.

I’m summoned! I’mspecial.

I have a moon bound bride!

CHAPTER THREE

Taylor

Oh. My. God! I bet I’m in a portal! I’ve played enough games that use them to recognize one.

I laugh. This whole thing should be scary, but it’s not. That feeling of rightness hums through my chest. Whatever this is, it’s linked to that missing piece I’ve been looking for my whole life.

The music continues, so lovely it fills me with joy.

Time doesn’t seem to exist in a way I can understand. Is it a second or a century later that I find myself lying on a firm surface? Does it matter?

I’m gonna go with no.

The light recedes, peeling away from me to form a ball once again. It swirls faster and faster, little blue lightning boltsflashing as the music speeds up. Then it zips up into the dark sky overhead, leaving me reaching after it.

As I blink away the last lingering dots of its brightness, stars appear overhead, the darkness softening from black to the deep purple of the darkest of plums.

I sit upright, ready to figure out where I am. It’s like the start of any game, when you’re a new player who needs to get the lay of the land before you can really play. My hand pats at the back pocket of my jeans, but I dropped my phone during the scuffle on the stairs, so no help there.

The air smells sweet and clean, like what my mountain-meadow room freshener tries to be. But this is real, lacking any of the big-city smells you get from too many cars and people all crammed into one area.

It’s also too quiet, so I can rule out any kinda urban area.

Squinting into the surrounding darkness, I spot tiny dots of blue light to my right. They dart around like fireflies. But the brightest thing near me isme. My crystal necklace glows, warming my chest.

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