Page 7 of Bred By the Orc
“Och, nay, milady. See the other men, yonder?”
“I see sleeping men,” I replied haughtily, eyeing the forms under the blankets around the banked fire. “You must feel safe.”
“We are on Tarbert land.” John’s congenial expression had hardened. “You are safe, milady. Go back to sleep.”
Instead, I glanced once more at the moon, taking my time. There was no reason not to do as he suggested; tomorrow would be a nerve-wrackingday, for certes. But still, I dawdled, merely to prove I would not be commanded by a mere seneschal.
And thank God I did, because I was still standing in the doorframe when the first battle cry rent the air.
“Bladesedge!”
At first, I didn’t recognize where it came from, but then—suddenly, so suddenly they might have appeared out of thin air—the croft was surrounded by thundering horses and bellowing men.
Nay, not men.
My heart had stopped, I was certain…and perhaps my mind as well.
Because each of the figures sitting atop those horses…weregreen. They wore kilts and swung broad swords and battleaxes, but they were green. With wild dark hair andtusks.
Blessed Virgin protect us! ‘Tis the orcs!
“Roxanna!” I screamed, stumbling into the building, even as the guards roused and began to rush toward the circling horde. “Effie! Hurry, hurry!”
I grabbed each of them by the wrist and tugged them toward me. They were confused, of course, but the battle cries and the sound of steel on steel outside soon answered their questions.
“What shall we do?” Effie gasped, wide-eyed. “Hide? The table?”
“Nay, that will not work for long. Who are they?”
I clutched my sister to me. “Orcs,” I managed hoarsely, my throat full of fear and thatsomethingstill tugging at me. “The orcs have come.”
“Oh,fook,” muttered Roxanna fiercely, completely surprising me.
‘Twas Effie who urged us into action. “Then we must run. Come, hurry!” She pulled us toward the door. “Perhaps we can escape in the confusion.”
‘Twas not a good plan, but ‘twas our only plan. We hesitated in the doorway, all three of us huddled there like baby squirrels, until we saw an opening between the galloping horses circling the croft.
We darted forward, hands clasped desperately. I would not release them. ‘Twas my responsibility, as the eldest, to get them to safety.
Even if it meant my life.
Around us, the air was full of the sounds of thundering hoofs and cries of pain. I could smell the churned-up earth and aye, the blood. And through it all, that strange tugging in my chest urging me to turn around, to face the orc attackers.
But I could not.
As my legs stumbled beneath me, trying to turn me about, I pushed onward, trying to get Roxanna and Effie to safety. It had been decades since the lastorc raid through the standing stones—why would they cometonight, of all nights?
And why had we been left nearly undefended?
The sounds of battle had faded, although we were still close enough to hear the whinnying of the horses and the harsh breathing of the warriors. Again, my body tried to betray me, tried to turn me back…
And then I had no choice, because Effie screamed, yanking suddenly on my hand.
The momentum spun me about, and I was stunned to see John pulling her against him. He had a long blade in one hand, which he rested against Effie’s throat as he faced the attackers.
Since she still clutched my hand, I moved with him and Roxanna followed.
“Hold!” John called, his voice high-pitched in fear. “I can bargain!”
