Page 54 of How To Woo A Warrior Orc

“It is good to have a coven in Wild Oak Woods again,” she says.

I wrap my hand around Ga’Rek’s.

I don’t want to enjoy my event. How could I?

I want to go home and sit by the fire while my orc holds me. I lean into him, frightened.

“I have you,” Ga’Rek whispers into my hair. “You are going to be okay. I will never let anything happen to you, kal’aki ne.”

I close my eyes, relaxed, because I know truth when I hear it.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

GA’REK

Iam furious.

My Piper has spent so much time and energy on creating the most beautiful event I’ve ever seen, and now she’s reduced tears and trembling frustration by a trio of forest gods no one can remember even hearing of before now.

“I’m right behind you,” I tell her. “Let me just say good night to Caelan.”

She nods, sniffling, and Wren shoots me a knowing look over her head. “Come on, Piper, I’ll walk with you.”

Her skirt rustles as she moves away, the once-festive and overfull tent now near empty, save for a few wide-eyed stragglers. Most of the vendors hustle as they attempt to close up their stalls.

“What magic do you have left?” I hiss at him.

Caelan’s expression smooths out. “Do you want to strike a bargain, Ga’Rek?”

I roll my eyes towards the lanterns suspended from the colorful waxed canvas stretched across the rooftops. Getting that right was a headache all on it’s own, and now we can’t even enjoy the night.

“I’ll help,” Nerissa, the black-haired witch, says. Her eyes glitter with anger, a muscle in her temple twitching. “What do you need?”

“I want to save the festival,” I say, smashing one fist into my palm.

Her eyes go wide in alarm. “No need to hurt yourself. Goodness gracious.”

“What can we do? I want everyone hear in the morning. A holiday. The festival. All the vendors. A Wild Oak Woods council meeting,” I thunder. “A solution for Piper.”

“Not just for Piper,” Nerissa says, her lip curling. “A solution for all the unmated witches of the coven, I think you mean.”

“Is there even a town council?” Caelan asks, looking thoughtful. “I don’t recall Wren ever mentioning one.”

“I…” Nerissa’s voice trails off. “I don’t think there is.”

Something clicks. I blink. “And Piper has lived here the longest? Of anyone in town?”

A beat passes, where she’s silent, and Caelan blows out a breath, his eyebrows shooting up.

“Of the witches, at least,” Nerissa finally answers.

“We need to know the last time there was a coven here.” I rake a hand through my hair. “There is a reason there wasn’t one, and there is a reason there is now.”

“History repeats itself,” Caelan says slowly. “The inn?”

“The inn,” I agree. “The waypoint. There must be?—”

“A locus of power here,” Ruby pipes up. “It’s pulling individuals towards this location for a reason. The… three that showed up,” she trips over the words, fear in her eyes, “they’re a part of whatever is about to happen, whatever is happening.”

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