Page 32 of Mountain Orc Daddy

“Blair, I am honored you worry about me, but I want to do this. This is the only way to ensure your safety. Please, trust me when I say, I will be fine.”

She bites her lips, but relents in the end.

I look at her parents. “How shall I lure him in?”

I want to protect Blair. There’s no doubt in my mind I can take on the bounty hunter. My orc’s beastly instincts want to destroy the man that thought he could touch Blair.

20

BLAIR

My parents go over the plan with Uzul and my siblings. I already assume the part where I just watch. What can I do without magic? Cheer them on?

Maybe not that, per se, but I would like to be there. I know I told Uzul I was fine with the plan to use him as bait. It doesn’t mean I’m not bothered by it still. I can feel two things at once.

It makes me happy he’s doing it in my interest. He shouldn’t though. We were the ones who brought him out here, almost defenseless. I can’t help but feel guilty that I can’t do a lot for him.

It’s even more frustrating that I can’t even make suggestions for the plan. It boils down to the same thing. No magic? No opinion.

“The easiest way to lure Gideon is for you to be by yourself, obviously. We can’t use the part of the forest where he attacked Blair, so we need another location,” Mom says.

“It’s best if we still use the forest as a trap, Mara. We can disguise ourselves better and I don’t think Uzul’ll be attacked in a very busy city.”

They all nod in agreement with Dad. I try to scoff on the down low. It’s not like me to be bratty towards my parents. But everything is annoying me right now, even their voices.

Remus butts in. “Then let’s keep it simple: we use another entrance to the forest and lead Gideon to the shack. We can still have a back up plan just in case, like dad said.”

“Fine,” mom says. She turns to Uzul. “You will have to call attention to yourself while in the city. Since an orc being out and about isn’t odd, you should act a little like your stereotypes.”

Uzul tilts his head. “Stereotype? I’m not sure you’ve explained that word before.”

I answer from the couch. “It’s basically generalizing a specific group with specific traits. Like for orc stereotypes, they are violent, mean, and loud. Something like that. For dragons, it’s the same but they can also be arrogant.”

I correct myself quickly before Uzul thinks I think of him.

“But that doesn’t mean they’re true. It’s more like the thinking of if one is like that then all of them are. Do you get me? Like when your tribe thought we were bad people because of what you guys went through before. But then you realize we’re not like that—”

Jade rolls her eyes. “I think he gets it Blair.”

Uzul holds his chin in pensive mode. It doesn’t look like he’s mad with the traits I branded him with. The Broken Maw are nowhere near those stereotypes. Especially Uzul.

“I see. So it’s comparable to what a myth is.”

I breathe out in relief. “Yes, exactly.”

He smiles proudly to himself. There’s something utterly adorable when he does it. His eyes close and his tusks seem to lift with his smile.

The moment ends when he gets back to the plan. He’s going to act as loud and ferocious as he can. That way, Gideon gets a quick word about an out of control orc. Since he wants to be heroic, he’ ll look for Uzul.

As for the orc himself, he’s not going to take his club with him, even for defense. It’ll give Gideon more chances to attack him. If he thinks he’s vulnerable.

My family will be around the area. Close enough to jump into action. Far enough to throw off Gideon.

“Then I can be present,” I announce.

Mom sighs. “Honey, we’ve been over this. It’ll be difficult for you to keep up with us.”

I don’t respond.

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