Page 90 of Bound to the Orc Renegade

Gerna’s closest, and as soon as I stand, she catches me in a hug. “It’s good to have you home, brother.”

One after the other, everyone steps forward, offering a hand or a shoulder pat or a hug. No one says much about Father. Instead, their words welcome me, as my own man.

I spent so many evenings in this room with all of these people, drinking and brawling and doing anything I could to put off returning to a cottage full of Father’s disapproval. As they congratulate me, I realize my clan mates have always been my true family.

I left the village looking to start a new life away from my father. I’m still ready to do that, only it’s not about physical distance now, as much as refusing to let him manipulate me any longer.

If it will make Taylor happy, I want Moon Blade Village to be our home.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

Taylor

Krivoth and the others let me sleep all day. The sunlight’s dimming in the window by the time he wakes me with a gentle touch on my cheek.

“Mmm,” I hum sleepily. “Are you coming to bed?”

“I can,” he says, his voice deep. “But I thought you might be hungry.”

“God, yes.” I bolt upright, my stomach letting out a loud growl as my bladder protests, too. “I also need the bathroom.”

He scoops me up and strides out into a large, open-plan space that’s living room, dining room, and kitchen combined. The walls, floor, and ceiling are made out of the same honey-colored wood as the bedroom, and I realize it’s not paneling—it’s the tree itself!

The brown leather couches in the living room look like normal furniture, and the long rectangular wooden dining tablemightnot grow out of the floor. But the cupboards and counters of the kitchen look like they were carved out of the wall instead of something built.

We pass through another doorway into a bathroom with a sink and counters that also looked like they’re made of living wood. Krivoth sets me on my feet and makes sure I can stand before tapping at a pile of fabric on the counter. “We’ve got you some new clothes. I’ll have more made for you once the weaver gets your size, but these should be close.”

“Thanks! I’m sure they’re great.”

When he leaves, I lift the lid of the wooden toilet, which opens onto a deep hole that smells like clean sawdust. Ashley told me it’s self composting and the tree just whisks everything away, so you never have to clean it. Magic for the win!

The sink has a tap with running water, and a stack of cleaning cloths waits, so I strip off the linen shirt and do a full-body cleanup. The new clothes slide on easily. The leather pants are a little too big in the waist and a bit tight on my butt, probably made for young orcs. The linen tunic top’s a pretty dark blue edging toward purple, and I bet Krivoth picked it because he knows I love that color. It’s too big, but still closer to my size than any of his shirts. Someone added a belt to the pile, so I wrap it around my waist.

“Not bad.” I glance down at myself. It feels a little weird to not have on underwear, but the leather’s softer than I expected and something special’s been done to the seams to make them lie flat inside the pants instead of sticking up and irritating my skin.

Krivoth waits in the living room with my high-tops in hand and Mist by his side.

“You’re up! Good. I was beginning to think you’d sleep all day and then go to bed withhimall night.” Her eyes sparkle with laughter as she cocks her head toward Krivoth.

He growls at her. “And that would be a problem?”

“Yes. I want to see my friend.”

When I get close, she comes over to lean against my thigh, but I crouch down and hug her instead, pressing a kiss to the soft fur of her forehead. Her purr rumbles through me. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Me too.” I grin, and she laughs, the sound chopping up her purr into little, funny pieces.

Outside, we’re surrounded by massive round tree trunks dotted with windows and doors, and I glance back to see we stepped out of the same. Being told the cottages were inside trees is one thing. It feels completely different toseeit. Awe at this amazing world fills me for the hundredth time, slipping out of me in a whispered “Magical.”

Storm waits, and I throw my arms around his neck.

“That’s not necessary,” he grumps.

“Yes, it is.” I squeeze tighter, then release him so I can step back and meet his eyes. “Thank you. Krivoth told me you ran yourself into the ground getting me here.”

He snuffles my hair. “It was nothing, little human.”

“It wasn’t nothing,” I say. “You’re a good friend, Storm.”

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