Page 28 of Bound in Flames

The warriors fell silent, their earlier curses replaced by a hushed awe as they watched the bridge take form.

The branches continued to grow, intertwining tightly. Following my intuition, I reached deeper, calling to the vines that crept along the nearby trees. They answered, thickening and stretching to wrap around the branches, forming a natural handrail along the bridge, twisting with a strength that belied their appearance.

When the bridge was complete, I staggered to my feet, the hum of magic beneath my skin had quieted to a faint buzz, but the effort had left me breathless. The orcs stared at the bridge, then at me, their expressions a mixture of awe and disbelief.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Gornak muttered, shaking his head in amazement. “By the Gods, she’s powerful.”

“You’re incredible,” Dex murmured as he stepped closer, brushing a thick finger across my cheek.

I managed a weak smile, still catching my breath. “Just trying to help.”

One by one, they began crossing the bridge, their movements cautious but hurried. Dex stayed by my side until the last of his warriors had crossed. His hand took mine as we stepped onto the bridge. Once we reached other side, I turned, looking back at the ravine. The shadows were creeping closer; I could feel their dark pull in the trees, just out of sight. Dropping to my knees, I pressed my hands into the earth, calling on the power once more.

The vines sprouted razor sharp thorns, twisting into a barrier that knotted across the edge of the ravine and onto the bridge. The magic obeyed my command with a ferocity that surprisedeven me, the plants coiling tightly around rocks and roots to form a nearly impenetrable razor sharp wall.

I stood slowly, brushing dirt from my palms. “That should slow them down.”

Gornak’s gaze softened, respect shadowing his features. “You did well, girl.”

I didn’t respond, but his words lingered, their weight settling heavily on my shoulders. The group pressed onward, and Dex’s hand found the small of my back, a quiet gesture of affection. His warmth seeped through the layers of exhaustion clinging to me, grounding me in the present.

“Are you all right?” he asked softly, his voice carrying a quiet concern.

I nodded, though the weariness crept into my limbs. “I’m fine, just tired.”

“You’re doing more than we ever thought was possible.” His words were thick with admiration, as he offered me his hand once more.

I shot him an easy smile, my heart swelling at his words. I could feel my defenses crumbling under his constant support and appreciation.How had I gone from facing execution to standing here beside this orc Chieftain?And yet, the thought didn’t fill me with dread but with gratitude. A strange, quiet gratitude for the twist of fate that had brought me here.

Taking his offered hand, I felt an unexpected energy radiate through me. The touch was steady, as though it carried a silent promise that we would face whatever came next, together. Ahead, the path grew steeper, the air colder, the shadows of the forest lessening into like a living, watchful force. I took a deep breath before turning to follow the warriors up the steep incline, heading up into the mountains.

The Black Mountainsloomed closer with every step and were a world apart from the south, where cities like Knight’s Hold thrived in carefully cultivated order. The great river that split the continent felt like more than a geographic divide—it was a line that separated two different worlds. South of the river, humans lived in blissful ignorance, untouched by the true wildness of the North. It was no wonder that most southerners had never seen an orc in their lifetime. The path grew steeper, the air colder, but the orcs pushed forward with determination. As we climbed, Gornak spoke quietly to the others, his voice a deep rumble in the stillness of the night.

“These valleys were once ours,” he said, his gaze swept over the landscape. “We ruled these forests before the humans drove us out, before they pushed us into the Black Mountains like animals. This land was ours by birthright.”

One of the younger orcs, a warrior named Kaldor, nodded solemnly. “I’ve heard the stories, but I’ve never seen it with my own eyes. Not from this vantage point.”

Gornak’s expression darkened, his voice thick with anger. “You’ve only known the mountains as our home because that’s all the humans left us. We were prosperous once. We walked these forests and valleys as free orcs, not cowed and forced to trade with our oppressors. Disrespected and treated like scum as we move along the sanctioned trade routes.”

I listened in silence, the weight of their words sinking in. The orcs had been driven from their lands, forced into the exile by humans who saw them as nothing more than beasts.

Dex’s gaze remained fixed on the path ahead. “One day, we’ll walk these forests as free orcs.” His voice was quiet, almost wistful.

Our party fell silent, but I could feel the weight of those words hanging in the air, a silent promise of a future they had long been denied. I could see the pain that clouded their eyes as they spoke of their connection to the valleys, and what had been stolen from them.

The mountain path grew narrower, the cold wind biting at my skin with every step. I felt the earth beneath me, steady and strong, guiding us forward. The magic was still there, humming beneath the surface, swirling around the orcs like a loving caress.

Gornak, who had taken the lead, slowed his pace to drop back alongside me, allowing his deep, rumbling voice to carry back to the rest of the warriors. Turning his head, he addressed the younger orcs who walked nearby, and I noticed the reverence on their faces as they hung on his every word.

“This land wasn’t always so still; there were no Shadow Lands,” he said, his voice thick with memory. “The forests were alive with the sounds of our people—strong, proud, and united.”

“Tell us about it, Gornak, I know you have had the visions,” Kaldor urged. “I’ve heard the stories, but I want to know what it was really like. What did we lose?”

My face must have read as confusion, as Dex leaned in to whisper to me softly. “A warrior’s coming of age involves joining with the earth. Our power is not the same as yours, however, some of us are gifted. Gornak saw our history. Our Seer has visions of what has yet come to pass.”

I nodded my understanding, amazed at the wealth of knowledge I was learning about the orc clans in just a few days.

His eyes were distant, as though he could still see the lands they had lost. “The rivers once flowed beneath great stonestrongholds, bridges of such craftsmanship no race has been able to match. They spanned the rivers like arms outstretched, connecting our settlements. We built fortresses into the cliff face, so high above the water that they seemed to touch the sky.”

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