Page 52 of Bound to the Orc King

“And then the stone gave you your magic, right?” Naomi taps my crystal pendant, then holds up her own. “That’s what happened to me.”

“Witches together.” I grin. “We’re witches, bitches!”

“You know it! Hannah’s also supposed to be a witch.”

“Really?” Excitement zips through me. “What kind?”

“We don’t know yet. Maybe—”

A loud throat clearing cuts across our conversation.

Sheevora lifts an eyebrow as we both turn back to her—and boy, what an eyebrow quirk it is, like every disapproving teacher I ever had distilled into this one tiny muscle movement. Even my usual rebellious response quells before the power of such disdain.

“Is that all of your interactions with the Moon Goddess?”

“No, unfortunately.” I snort. “We tried to ride to the place where we were supposed to meet Naomi, and the goddess appeared and screamed at me.”

“It occurred about a half mile due south.” Aldronn points. “Rune can probably find the exact location. May dropped a pewter mug when the goddess appeared. It will smell like orc porridge.”

“Yeah, well, it’s pretty instinctive to clap your hands over your ears when someone’s bellowing at you.”

“The goddess was indeed horribly loud,” Starfall says. “But there weren’t any words, only music.”

“It was the same for me,” Aldronn says. “Loud discordant music that sounded nothing like the tune the goddess sang when she summoned me to find my bride.”

“I asked why I should help her after she lied to me about being my mom, but she just yelled, ‘You dare to defy me! You go the wrong way!’” My temple twinges with remembered pain, and I reach up to rub it. “I tried to explain that we needed to meet Naomi and get help, but the goddess only shouted louder and louder inside my head.”

“May’s being modest. She was in a great deal of pain.” Aldronn’s hand smoothes over my hair. “The Moon Goddess used so much of May’s telepathy that it burned out her powers, leaving her ill for days.”

Naomi picks up my hand and gives a sympathetic squeeze. “I’ve got something that might help with that.”

“Thanks.” I squeeze back.

“Did the goddess say anything else?” Sheevora asks, quill poised above paper.

“She just kept yelling, ‘Find me! Free me!’” I say. “It didn’t stop until Starfall turned around and trotted north.”

“The goddess chased us north, you mean,” Starfall grumps, and who can blame her?

“That’s it, then,” Zephyr says, her hoof striking the ground. “You know where we need to go.”

“Uh, no.” I raise my hand and give a little wave. “Literally no idea over here.”

“There’s only one thing north of here,” Wranth says.

Aldronn gives him a solemn nod, then meets my eyes. “The Northern Wastes.”

“Wow, a place with ‘wastes’ in the name sure sound like fun,” I say, my voice heavy with sarcasm. “Thanks again, goddess.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Aldronn

The dragon returns the door of Avalon to me, and I arrange a watch rotation with my guard to protect it.

Starfall and Rune head off with Sheevora to inspect the place where the Moon Goddess stopped us from going south.

Naomi and May chat, huddling close, heads bent as they create their own little bubble of togetherness. May mimes something and makes a hand movement that has Naomi pealing with laughter. Clearly, they’re very good friends. I’m so very glad. Underneath her strong spirit, my bride carries a loneliness I don’t like. It’s good to see she’s so close to the other human witch.

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