Page 24 of X'nath

I paused, letting her words sink in, the sharpness of her rejection only making my pulse race. The way she looked at me—defiant, stubborn—was more of a challenge than I’d ever expected.

But instead of retreating, I leaned in just a little more, my voice softer now. "Maybe you should be."

She stepped back, her gaze cold, and for a moment, I thought I saw the hint of a smile tug at the corner of her lips. It wasn’t a smile of amusement, though. It was more like a silent victory.

"Take the hint through your thick skull, X’nath," she repeated firmly, her voice calm but resolute.

I stood there for a moment longer, studying her, letting the silence stretch between us. She clung so stubbornly to whatever idea she held, but I couldn’t help wondering—what would it be like to have that kind of loyalty by my side? Didn’t she realize that, as much as she tried to highlight what she saw as faults in me, it only made her own strengths shine even brighter? Her honesty was refreshing.

But for now, I stepped back, watching her turn away with that same determined posture.

The challenge was on, and this was far from over.

But I was looking forward to the fight.

14

A Home of Our Own

GRACIE

The sun was still high in the sky. The open air felt different—fresher, but more unsettling. We were no longer tucked away in dark caves or hidden from the world in the mountain's shadow. Here, we were exposed, but the towering rocky peaks around us acted as a natural barrier, a kind of protection that made the wild world beyond feel a little less threatening.

The land itself was vast, a mix of rough terrain and sparse vegetation, with jagged rocks protruding from the earth and long stretches of rugged, untamed wilderness. The beauty of it was raw and unfiltered, yet there was an intimidation to it as well. It reminded me just how small we were in comparison to the grandeur of the mountains and the wild expanse stretching beyond.

But, despite the overwhelming landscape, there was a kind of peace here—a quiet that we hadn’t experienced in a long time. The earth beneath my feet felt solid, and I appreciated the sense of stability after the chaos of the swamp.

After settling in and making sure the women were as comfortable as possible, the orc women gathered us together. The youngest one in the bunch introduced herself as Arga. These women had a different kind of strength about them, an unspoken power that made me feel both awed and reassured. They were efficient in their movements, leading us with confidence toward a nearby lake where we could wash up and refresh ourselves. It was a small blessing after the long days of travel, the grime of the swamp still clinging to our skin.

As we approached the water, I marveled at the pristine beauty of the lake. The water was clear, shimmering with an almost magical quality under the fading sunlight. Trees lined the edges, their branches heavy with leaves that rustled softly in the breeze. It was serene, and for a moment, I forgot all the dangers that had brought us here, all the worries that had clouded my mind. It was just the water, the sky, and the distant hum of nature.

With hand gestures, the orc women urged us to wash up. The subtle, graceful movements of their hands were an invitation more than a command, and none of us hesitated. We’d been in the swamp for far too long, the muck and grime from the journey still clinging to our skin. The opportunity to finally clean off felt like a small but precious gift.

With only a slight hesitation, I waded into the cool water. I took another look around us to make sure the men weren’t leering nearby and they weren’t. Seemed they were busy with the other clansmen. The other human women followed, some tentative at first, but quickly letting the lake’s chill sink in. We had learned each other's names during the journey on the ship, and now they were slowly coming back to me.

The group sighed in relief as the fresh water hit their skin, the filth of the swamp slipping away with each splash. Slowly they began taking off their clothes.

“God, I thought I’d never get this off,” Kelly—a tall, shapely, woman with light brown hair— muttered, splashing water onto her arms as she scrubbed at the dirt. “I swear, I’m going to be finding swamp muck in places I didn’t even know existed for weeks.”

“I know,” Erin laughed, her voice a little shaky as she rubbed her arms. Erin was shorter than most of us and looked to be in her mid twenties. “I’ve never been this gross in my life. I think I was starting to forget what it felt like to be clean.”

“I didn’t even know I had this many layers of dirt on me,” said Sophie, laughing as she dunked her head under the water, cleaning her light, blond hair. “It feels like a weight’s been lifted. I was starting to think the swamp was just going to be my permanent smell.”

The sounds of their laughter were a comfort, a stark contrast to the tension and fear we’d lived with for the past few months. The water wasn’t warm, but it was refreshing, and there was something deeply cathartic about washing away the reminders of our hardship. The coldness of it felt like a sharp reminder that we were alive, that we’d made it through something terrible and come out on the other side.

“I didn’t think I’d ever feel this clean again,” I murmured to myself, as I ran my hands through my dark hair, rinsing out the last of the swamp’s stench.

Salma, who had been quieter than the others, finally spoke up, looking over at me with a smirk. “Well, you definitely smell better. I think I can stand being near you again,” she joked, her eyes twinkling.

“Hey, I can’t help that I’m an excellent swamp dweller,” I said, laughing back. “But you’re right, this feels amazing.”

The group’s collective tension seemed to ease, at least for a moment. We were starting to feel human again—like we could breathe, like we could move on from the fear and survivalinstincts we’d been forced to embrace. There was no telling what came next, but for now, it was enough to be clean, to be in the moment, surrounded by new faces, and with a brief respite from all the chaos.

“It’s so nice not to have to keep worrying about bugs crawling into your hair,” Erin said, running her fingers through her damp locks. “Can we just live here forever?”

“I don’t know if the orcs would want us hanging around their lake permanently,” Kelly said with a wry grin. “But I wouldn’t mind it.”

“We’re not staying in the swamp,” I spoke up firmly, but not unkindly. “We’ve survived it. Now we focus on building something better.” I glanced around at the women, trying to get them to understand the seriousness of my point. “This place—it’s not home yet. But we’re getting there. And I’m not letting any of us fall back into that kind of filth again.”

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