Page 55 of Orc's Mate

“What all orcs do with someone who harms a female.” His grim gaze met mine. “All you need to know is that he won’t bother you again.”

“Will you send him to the city?”

“We can’t take the chance he’ll do this to someone else.”

I had no sympathy for Drabass, but this sounded like a harsh punishment.

If I was going to fit in with this life, I had to accept orc ways. Odik was right. It would be better if I didn’t ask any more questions.

“You’re sure?” he asked.

I looked around at all that needed to be done and stiffened my spine, nodding.

He left, returning half an hour later. “I took him to his father and explained. Crickin will handle it now.”

“What will he do?”

His gaze met mine. “You don’t want to know.”

Drabass didn’t deserve my sympathy, so I grunted.

“Come with me into town,” Orik said, taking my hands and squeezing them.

I wanted to cling so much, but I also wanted to stand strong. “There’s a lot left to do still, and I’m going to keep working.”

If I was going to be an orc’s mate, that also meant I needed to bravely face whatever this life handed me. Not being accosted by one of the orcs but doing my share as the caedos’s wife.

“I’ll stay here and finish.”

“I feel bad that it happened.”

“You didn’t do it. You saved me, Odik.”

He tugged me into his arms. “I’ll always be here for you, mate.”

We sat together for a bit before he left, telling me to lock the door and remain inside.

I couldn’t do it. My life was here, and I was going to grab onto it fully. So I faced my fear and went back outside.

Once I’d finished cleaning up the yard, I walked through the woods to the garden, finding the plants flatter than I’d like but still green. The rain would serve them well; the ground was very parched before the storm.

My hands no longer shook, and I was proud of myself for facing this head on, of making something good come from what was almost a shitty day.

I picked vegetables and brought them to the house, then went back out to cover all the full rain barrels. I also re-mulched the garden to hold the moisture.

After, I sat in the kitchen and ate, surprised I had an appetite after what happened. Hard work and sunshine would do that to you.

That and knowing Odik would always be here for me.

I put everything away and washed the dishes I’d neglected after breakfast. Then I went out to look down over the rail.

“Tons of driftwood.” The beach was littered with it, dry gray bones from long-dead trees.

I drank a glass of water and took the stairs to the beach, proud of all I’d accomplished so far. Odik was going to be pleased when he returned to our tidy home and saw there wasn’t anything left for him to do.

Throughout the afternoon, I collected driftwood, piling it near the cliff.

“Where did you come from?” I asked one of the pieces. “And how far did you travel?” For all I knew, it had made its way to the island from the mainland. Or maybe from one of the other uninhabited islands.

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