Page 34 of How To Woo A Warrior Orc

The Pixie’s Perch falls fully silent, thick with tension.

The rest of the coven shifts slightly away from where Ga’Rek and I stand, and I don’t have to look at them to know they’ve moved into a defensive formation, something we haven’t practiced but every witch learns as soon as they’re able to wield magic.

“Apologies, Piper Paratee, kitchen witch,” Caelan finally says, smoothly. “I am still getting used to these… mortal niceties.”

“He means he’s getting used to there being consequences for saying and doing whatever he wants.” Wren sounds pissed.

I glance up, still clinging to Ga’Rek’s side.

Caelan does appear contrite, but from the way Wren’s glaring at him, I get the distinct impression she’s not going to let it go that easily.

“I did not mean to… ah, embarrass you,” Caelan tells me delicately, glancing quickly up at Ga’Rek and then away again.

I look up at him, too, curious what in my kind orc’s face has Caelan looking likethat—when I see it.

Ga’Rek’s face is practically contorted with anger. His tusks are bared, his lip completely curled back from them. His forehead is furrowed, and his shoulders are tense.

“That’s the mating urge,” Kieran says, staring at Ga’Rek with clear fascination. Unlike Caelan and Ga’Rek, Kieran’s rarely spoken in front of me. He has an urbane, precise diction that’snothing like the other two, but fits his polished appearance and sharp, pretty features. “I thought it was a myth.”

“That’s because you are a child and a fool,” Caelan tells him.

Wren elbows him in the ribs. “Rude,” she hisses.

Ruby covers her face, and Willow just stares at her feet, even quieter than usual.

“You are all acting like idiots,” Nerissa finally pronounces drily. “There is clearly something afoot. First, Hash turning into a Seelie and binding Caelan, an Unseelie trickster, to the inn.”

“He did not bind me,” Caelan interrupts, annoyed.

“Yes, he did.” Nerissa, despite being shorter than Caelan, manages to look down her nose at him. A neat trick, really. “Or would you prefer if I said he tricked you into running it? Hmm?”

Caelan glares at her.

“That’s what I thought. Then the Seelie queen shows up and gives Wren a quest.”

“It was not a quest, it was a commission?—”

“Different word, same outcome.” Nerissa waves a hand, dismissing Wren’s summation. “You get a magic tiara for her, she has a magic tiara. Then, you have the prince of the Unseelie seeking refuge in Wild Oak Woods after being kicked out from the Underhill by the Dark Queen.”

My mouth drops. “I’m sorry, what?—”

“Prince?” Willow says, coming alive at last. Her red curls bounce along her voluptuous breasts as she swivels towards Kieran. “Prince? Unseelie prince?” She lets out a wobbly laugh. “Of course you are. That explains it all.”

Willow takes a few steps back, shaking her head, and drops into chair, her head in her hands.

Ruby sighs, then throws her hands in the air. “We have a problem. Something is brewing between the two fae courts, and Wild Oak Woods seems to be the epicenter of whatever is happening.”

“Epicenter sounds so dramatic,” Caelan opines.

Ruby attempts to level him with a cutting look and he shrugs one shoulder, disinterested in any and all of her judgment. “The queen of the Seelie fae visited, but she’s not the only one of royal blood expected here soon, right?”

“I should have said something sooner, I was just so excited to have her commission me, and then she spread the word about my shop, so I have been busy.” Wren’s face scrunches up as she talks, and she leans back on Caelan for support.

“It’s all right, Wren,” Willow interjects. “We know now, and I think we can all agree that we don’t know what to make of it, or of… any of this, really. Let’s focus on what we can control, and look for patterns in the mean time.”

“Unless the patterns find us first,” Nerissa mutters in an ominous tone.

A beat of silence passes by.

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