Page 13 of Orc's Little Human
This isn't right. The magic's never been this strong.
But even as the thought forms, I'm pushing harder, letting the power flow through me in ways that should leave meunconscious. The stone barriers grow taller, more elaborate, while veins of ore-rich rock spiral up from deep earth to reinforce my commands. Metal weapons throughout the crowd begin to resonate, humming with sympathetic vibrations that speak of magic barely held in check.
Stop. Pull back before you?—
The warning comes too late. Power that felt limitless moments before suddenly cuts off, leaving me hollow and shaking as the last echoes of blood-forged magic fade from the air. The stone barriers remain, testament to forces I don't fully understand, but the cost hits like a physical blow.
Weakness floods my limbs, familiar but less severe than expected. Usually, major workings leave me unconscious for hours, body drained by the effort of channeling ancestral power through mortal flesh. This time, I'm still standing. Tired, but functional. Like the magic demanded less of me somehow.
That's not possible.
But before I can examine the impossibility further, movement at the edge of my vision catches my attention. Two small figures stand at the entrance to the training ground, one instantly recognizable despite the distance.
Thali.
And beside her, wearing clothes I recognize as belonging to her mother, stands the human girl.
Selene.
Her face holds an expression I can't immediately identify—shock, certainly, but something deeper. Horror, maybe, or fear so profound it's transformed into something approaching awe. Her gray-blue eyes are fixed on the twisted metal and reshaped stone with the kind of intensity that speaks of recognition rather than simple amazement.
She's seen magic before.
The realization hits with uncomfortable certainty. Most humans react to blood-forging with superstitious terror or complete disbelief. This girl watches like someone who understands exactly what she's witnessing, even if she wishes she didn't.
As I let the last traces of power fade from my consciousness, she raises one hand to her collarbone in a gesture that looks almost involuntary. Her fingers press against something hidden beneath the leather tunic, and her face twists with what looks like pain. Or recognition. Or both.
What's she hiding?
The question burns with sudden urgency, though I can't explain why her reaction matters more than the dozen other concerns demanding my attention. She's just a human captive, valuable only for whatever information she might possess about coastal defenses or trade routes. Her opinion of my magic shouldn't register beyond academic curiosity about enemy capabilities.
But as I watch her struggle with whatever she's feeling, pressing fingers against her collarbone like she's trying to contain something that wants to escape, I find myself caring about her response in ways that make no strategic sense.
The crowd begins to disperse around us, warriors helping to free Jorth and Mazg from their metal bonds while others examine the stone barriers with professional interest. But my attention remains fixed on the girl who watches my magic with knowing eyes and hides secrets beneath borrowed leather.
I force myself to look away from Selene's unsettling stare, focusing instead on the more immediate problem of my sister standing where she absolutely shouldn't be. The training grounds are no place for a child, especially not when tensions run high enough to turn practice into bloodshed.
"Thali." My voice carries the sharp edge of authority mixed with genuine concern. "What are you doing here?"
She shifts from foot to foot, amber-gold eyes bright with defiance that reminds me uncomfortably of myself at that age. The little bone charms woven into her wild black hair catch the morning light as she tilts her head, considering how much trouble she's willing to court.
"Wanted to show Selene the warriors training." The words come out in a rush, like she thinks speed might make them more acceptable. "She asked about?—"
"I don't care what she asked about." I cut through her excuse with the kind of finality that usually ends arguments before they begin. "You know better than to bring anyone here during weapons practice. And you especially know better than to bring her."
The emphasis on the last word makes Selene flinch slightly, though she tries to hide the reaction. But her fingers continue their restless movement against her collarbone, pressing through the leather tunic like she's trying to contain something that wants to break free.
What is she hiding under there?
But I push the curiosity aside, focusing on the more pressing concern of keeping my sister safe in a world that wants to devour everything soft and innocent. The encampment is dangerous enough without adding the chaos of warriors whose blood runs hot from interrupted combat.
"Too many orcs will be looking at both of you once Jorth and Mazg finish being sorted out." The words come harder than they should, weighted with implications I don't want to examine too closely. "I don't like that kind of attention on either of you."
Thali's chin lifts with stubborn pride, the gesture so familiar it makes my chest tighten. She's been making that exactexpression since she could hold her head up, refusing to back down even when common sense demanded retreat.
"You said as long as Selene stays with me, it's fine." Her voice carries the precise tone of someone quoting exact words back to their source. "Those were your rules, Korrath. She's with me."
The logic is sound, technically speaking, but logic doesn't account for the way power-drunk warriors look at things they want to claim. My display of magic has only made the situation more volatile, reminding everyone present that I possess capabilities most of them can barely comprehend. Some will see that as reason to follow more faithfully. Others will view it as a challenge worth accepting.
