Page 60 of Orc's Mate

“Remember the story about our clan having more fresh water than we knew what to do with?” Odik asked.

“A story?” Trilden grumbled. “You think to hold us here with a tale?”

“Not every story is made up,” Madine said, stiffening. “Many tell of things in our past we don’t want to forget.”

“Eleri and I have found a way to remove the salt from sea water,” Odik said.

“We do this already.” Trilden braced Odik’s shoulders. “You’ve been an amazing caedos. The best this clan has seen in ages. No one cares for our people and our way of life more than you. But small pots of water boiling all day long to generate one cup to drink is not enough. I’m a farmer. You know this. But I can’t make the soil produce crops without more water than the rains deliver.”

He and I explained what we’d found.

“Wonderful.” Madine clapped her hands. “This changes everything.”

“Do your stories mention anything about how to bring the water to the top of the island?” I asked.

She frowned. “I don’t believe they do.”

“Let’s take a look at this,” Trilden said. “I’m willing to do that at least. Do I want to leave? No. Do I feel that I must? Yes.”

With some trepidation, we took them down to the cave, others joining in until we had a large crowd following us. We showed them the big pool refilled already and boiling, plus the hood and how the condensed water trickled into the second tub.

“Taste it,” Odik told those gathered around. “All of you.”

“It’s clean,” someone exclaimed.

“It tastes wonderful!”

Madine smiled and nodded. With her cane, she pointed to the piping leaving the second tub, feeding into the wall. “I assume this uses some kind of gravity system to bring the water to the surface.”

“The old pump near the center of town that has never worked,” Trilden said. “Do you think . . .” He shook his head. “It’s not possible, is it?”

“We should go find out,” I said with a grin.

We returned to the surface, Madine riding on Odik’s back because the climb was too steep. With lighter steps, we strode to the edge of town where it was clear there must’ve been large gardens long ago. Now only a few straggly vegetables have grown.

“It’s over here.” Trilden led everyone to the edge of the field and into the woods surrounding it. “I found it one day while looking for herbs, but as I said, it didn’t work, so I ignored it after that.” Bending down, he cleared away brush, revealing a pump like the one that brought sea water inside our homes. Straightening, he began lifting and dropping the lever. A hollow, gurgling sound rang out and Madine cheered.

“Will it work?” I asked Odik, leaning into his side.

He just shook his head, probably not wanting to say anything to jinx it.

Water gushed out of the pipe, splashing on the ground at Trilden’s feet.

“What does it taste like?” someone asked.

Trilden cupped some in his hands and took a long drink. “I’d say . . .” He shot me and Odik a grin. “I’d say it tastes like a good reason to stay on the island.”

Everyone around us cheered.

Chapter30

Odik

THREE DAYS LATER

Life suddenly felt easier on the island. Funny how a little thing like clean water could make all the difference.

Trilden and three other orcs left, but they’d be back. They’d gone to tell everyone about our discovery and urge any clansmales to move back home.

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