Page 14 of Her Orc Healer

I snapped my head up just in time to see Kazrek flipping the sign on the door to CLOSED.

My mouth opened, but no sound came out. He turned toward me, completely unbothered, holding something wrapped in cloth that smelled absolutely divine. His dark eyes met mine, steady as ever.

I found my voice. "What. Are. You. Doing."

He held up the bundle of food like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Bringing you lunch."

I stared at him, my carefully constructed thoughts crumpling like one of Maeve’s paper birds. "You can't just—" I sputtered, but Maeve's delighted squeal drowned out my protests.

"Kazrek!" She launched herself from behind the desk. "Did you bring food? Is it special orc food? Can I try it?"

He caught her mid-leap with one massive hand, steadying her before she could crash into his legs. "Careful,zuzu’rak." His voice held that same quiet patience from yesterday. "Yes to all three questions."

I pushed to my feet, arms crossed. "This is completely inappropriate. The shop—"

"—can survive a lunch break." Kazrek set the bundle on my desk, unwrapping it to reveal several cloth-wrapped parcels that released waves of rich, savory scents. "From Grok's kitchen in the market. Bestgrakthulin Everwood."

Maeve peered at the parcels with unrestrained curiosity. "What'sgrakthul?"

"Spiced meat wrapped in flatbread." Kazrek's hands moved with practiced efficiency, laying out the food. "With roasted vegetables and herb sauce."

My stomach betrayed me with an audible growl. The aroma was mouthwatering—nothing like the plain bread and cheese I usually grabbed between customers when I remembered to eat at all.

"But what if someone needs—"

"Then they'll come back later." Kazrek's tone brooked no argument. He pulled three plates from somewhere in his coat—had he actually planned this?—and began portioning out the food. "Sit."

I remained standing, torn between irritation and something dangerously close to appreciation. “What about your clinic? Don’t you have patients to see?”

Kazrek didn’t even glance up as he unwrapped another bundle of food. "Most of my patients don’t come until evening." He set a portion onto a plate, pausing for a beat before adding, "They work long hours and can’t afford a midday visit. Emergencies find me when they need to."

I frowned, turning that over in my mind. The phrasing was carefully neutral, but the meaning was clear. His patients weren’t the sort who had the luxury of scheduled appointments.

"Ro!" Maeve tugged at my skirt, eyes wide and pleading. "Please? It smells so good!"

I looked down at her eager face, then at the meticulously arranged food, then at Kazrek's steady, unperturbed expression. He wasn't even looking at me anymore, focused on carefully cutting Maeve's portion into smaller pieces.

My resolve crumbled.

"Fine," I muttered, sinking back into my chair. "But just this once."

Thegrakthulwas unlike anything I'd tasted before—rich with spices, the meat tender enough to melt on my tongue. The flatbread was warm and soft, perfect for soaking up the herb sauce that threatened to drip down my wrists.

I tried not to show how much I enjoyed it. And failed miserably.

Kazrek ate with the same quiet efficiency he seemed to do everything else, answering Maeve's endless stream of questions between bites.

"But why are your teeth different?" she asked, sauce smeared across her chin.

"Tusks," he corrected. "All orcs have them. Makes it easier to tear through tough meat."

"Can I have tusks?"

A low rumble that might have been a chuckle. "No. But you have other gifts."

As if on cue, the paper birds scattered around her feet rustled—then rose into the air, spinning lazily like autumn leaves caught in an invisible breeze. Maeve's eyes lit up, her magic responding to her delight.

I tensed, ready to explain, to make excuses. But Kazrek merely watched the floating origami with mild interest, completely unfazed.

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