Page 55 of How To Woo A Warrior Orc

“And you think it’s happened before.” Caelan glances sidelong at me.

“I can research. That’s what I’m skilled at,” Ruby says.

“We convene a meeting and enjoy the festival tomorrow,” Nerissa agrees, raising an eyebrow. “We see if anyone is around who remembers the last coven, or if their grandparents do, or great-grandparents, and we hope one of them kept a journal.”

Ruby nods in agreement.

“I can send a magical summons,” Nerissa says, nodding. “And Ruby and I can work up a spell together to keep the food fresh.”

“I’d like to help,” Violet says quietly.

Hope begins to bud in my chest, and I inhale, nodding. “Good. We work together. We will need each other.”

“I hope that’s not the case. I wassobeginning to like it here,” Caelan says drily.

We all exchange irritated looks.

“Oh, lighten up, you lot.” The fae rolls his eyes. “Of course we will work together. But you can count on me absolutely not taking anything seriously.”

“Even Wren?” I ask.

He bares his fangs, and I laugh. Even Violet smiles.

“That’s what I thought,” I tell him, satisfied. “Pretend all you want, friend, I know there’s a heart of gold in that wily body.”

“I have had enough of this.” He sniffs. “I won’t be disparaged in front of my mate’s coven.”

Ruby covers her mouth, and emits a barking laugh that sounds something like a cough as Caelan stalks off, presumably to find his mate.

“We will weather this storm,” Nerissa says somberly, her eyes glowing with a power that sends a cold shiver down my spine. “We will weather it, as the ones who came before us did. But make no mistake about it, a storm is building.”

Violet goes pale, and Ruby throws an arm around her waist. “Don’t worry. Nerissa loves to make dramatic proclamations.”

Nerissa scowls, which makes the corners of Violet’s lips twitch.

A chuckle escapes me despite the dire proclamation of the three forest gods.

“We’ll make sure the festival is ready for tomorrow morning,” Ruby assures me. “Go take care of Piper. We all know how hard she worked to make this happen. We won’t let her efforts —or yours— go to waste.”

My throat gets tight. “She’s lucky to have you. We both are.”

The witches only smile and shoo me off, beginning to discuss the details of how to make the festival go on tomorrow without a hitch.

I rush down the cobblestone streets to the Pixie’s Perch and Piper’s home, where the rest of my heart is waiting. A wicked cold wind blows from the south, shaking the trees that surround the small village until they scatter into the sky. Red and orange, they dance along the smooth stones.

The noises of Wild Oak Woods continue to surprise me. The sheer music of it; the wind in the leaves, the laughter and conversation of the creatures that live here, the conversations in the café. It’s so different than the Underhill’s mausoleum-like quiet.

The Dark Queen’s Court was always taut with unspoken fear, hushed whispers and the cruel pronouncements made by the fae who held the Unseelie in her thrall.

My jaw clenches, and I quicken my pace, hunching slightly in an effort to avoid the icy wind blowing down the street.

I will not return to the Underhill.

This Wild Oak Woods is my home now, and I will protect it.

EPILOGUE

PIPER

---