Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
Normally, standing this close to the compound I’d hear the industrial sounds of pumps and filtration systems, heating and cooling, all the equipment necessary to make our product on the kind of scale demanded by the users and Judicial Enforcement.
But not now.
My senses are on edge as I ease up to the entrance. No guards. The orcs must have gone. Did they find Katya and Dad? Were they just here to steal the latest batch of the product?
That wouldn’t be good. The JE would be breathing down our necks to get back online and fulfill demand. But we could recover.
I slip inside the doorway and my hand goes to my mouth.
There’s blood. A lot of blood. It’s smeared over the ground and up the walls, dried burgundy and textured like some horrible masterpiece. My thoughts race, what if it’s Katya? What might they have done to her? Should I call out?
“Well, well, what do we have here?”
I snap my head toward the sound, but the huge orc that approaches slams me against the wall with a hand to my chest. The back of my head meets the wall, sending a bolt of pain shooting out my eyeballs and the world darkens as he laughs and twists his fingers into my shirt.
Then a roar fills my ears. I dart my eyes to the new sound.
The door I came through is ripped from its hinges and there’s Gathred. No sooner is he inside than he grabs the other orc and drags him off me.
“You never touch her,” he growls. “Nobody touches her. Only me.”
“Gathred? They are looking for you—” He doesn’t finish. Gathred grabs his head between both his hands and twists hard, and with a crunch of bone and tendons I cringe but don’t looking away, watching the life drain from the massive creature.
But it’s not over.
There are others, and I don’t hear them until they’re right on us, two of them grabbing Gathred by the arms and hauling him away from the dead orc.
Gathred roars, slamming their foreheads together, knocking them out cold as he takes a step toward me. “Come, Dostha,” he growls, reaching for my hand, but before I touch him, before I thank him for saving me again, four more are dragging him back.
He twists and snarls, but this time there are too many. Even Gathred is held tight as another steps forward, red eyes locked on me.
“Bring both of them. Time for you to pay for failure, Gathred.”
“Where’s my father?” I ask as I’m thrust into the compound canteen.
Several orcs sit around the room at tables, drinking from wooden orc mugs. One orc is standing in the center, surrounded by guards. He grins when he sees me, then glances to the side to where Gathred is fighting against at least six other orcs attempting to subdue him.
“All thought you were dead,” he says, ignoring me. “Better if you were. Now I have questions.”
“Let her go, Ragned.” Gathred punches and struggles as they attempt to bind his arms and legs. “This is between us, not her.”
“She is Petrova’s daughter. She’s useful.” Ragned steps forward and clasps a hand to Gathred’s shoulder. “What happened to Argoth was unfortunate.”
“Let her go, then we talk.”
“No. We talk now. Why did you kill him?”
Gathred stares at him, not answering.
Ragned glances around the room at the other orcs. “Leave us.”
Some of the other orcs stand, grabbing their tankards and heading out of the room, but one shakes his head. “Not a good idea. Gathred—”
“Gathred knows I’m not alone. Guards at the doors, waiting for my signal. Now go. Take the girl.”
“I talk if she stays,” Gathred snarls. And even in the position he’s in, the others hesitate.
Ragned growls. “Fine. Leave her. Get out.”
The guards release Gathred’s arms, following the others outside, and slamming the giant wooden door behind them. Gathred stands up, straight backed, shoulders square, then steps between me and Ragned, putting his hand gently on my arm. Little lightning bolts shoot up to my shoulder from the contact, and every inch of me wants to jump into his arms like a little girl, to have him protect me and comfort me, but I hold back, forcing myself to wait.
It’s Ragned who speaks first.
“You killed Argoth.” He nods and turns his back on Gathred. It’s not much, but it’s a show of superiority. “I think I know why you killed him now. Because of her. I am leader now so I don’t care.”
I slide my hand into Gathred’s, and he takes it, squeezing my fingers.
“You don’t care?” Gathred grunts. “Then let us go.”
“I am a better leader than Argoth. All say this. I like being leader. I like power.” Ragned turns back. “I thank you for killing him, but cannot let you leave. Ragned cannot look weak.”
“Where is my father?” I try again. I desperately want to ask about Katya, but I don’t dare in case they still don’t know about her.