But with this orc’s help, her future batches would!
Then he plucked one out—it looked so tiny in his hand—and popped the whole thing in his mouth. He chewed once, twice.
And then his eyes shuttered closed, and he made a strangled noise in the back of his throat. The first sound he’d made so far. She searched his face for any hint of upset, only to find him looking...
Looking absolutely adorable.
Her cheeks heated at the stupidity of her reaction. She’d never met someone who looked as much like apuppyas this male did. With big pleading eyes and shaggy messy hair and a hesitant posture. She wanted to coo at him and give him a little belly rub.
There was something wrong with her.
She waited a moment. “So, you like them?”
He nodded, his shaggy green hair fell over his forehead and almost covered his eyes. She was sorely tempted to push it away.
Instead, she clasped her fingers together and asked, “How long are you going to be visiting here?” She assumed not long. She knew the orcs who came to fetch the healing tinctures only stayed long enough to pack them up. She’d never met one before now.
The male didn’t respond, only glanced behind himself, as if looking for an escape.
“I assume your forge is at your home clan. How far is it from here?”
He opened his mouth as if to answer, and then... grimaced. His hand came up to rub his neck briefly before dropping away.
Her eyes focused on a deep jagged pale green scar that sliced all the way across his neck. Really taking a good look for the first time, pock marks lined each side from where it had been stitched back together. Judging by the size of it...
It looked like he’d nearly beendecapitated.
“You . . . can’t talk?”
He shook his head.
Fades blast her back to the depths. Ofcoursethey couldn’t make this easier on her. It was one thing to have been born into a village completely isolated from the outside world with only one forge and an extremely limited supply of metal. But now, to inexplicably find someone whocouldonly to have them be mute?
This really was the absolute worst day.
As she tried to come up with another plan, she looked back up at the orc. He was gobbling down another cookie. His eyes fluttered shut, his shoulders slumped, and his face went slack in a way that could only be described as sheerbliss.
Trinia blinked as heat tingled from the top of her head all the way down to the tips of her toes. Her stomach knotted up as unfamiliar emotions swirled around her rational thoughts untilshe had none at all. She could only watch the burly orc stranger melt with pleasure as he ate the food she’d made.
She made treats for literally everyone she knew, and not one of their reactions had made her body quake like this.What was wrong with her?
The orc swallowed hard and then looked down at the bag, his expression telling.
“Go ahead and eat them. I can make more and give them to you...” Her breath caught as the idea sprang into her mind. “I can give them to you at the trade tomorrow.”
His brows screwed up in adorable confusion and her cheeks heated as she cleared her throat. “Like I said, my village trades with the Rove Wood orcs. We come together every fifteen days or so. Tomorrow is that day. Why don’t you come?”
He hesitated, face going stricken.
“Is something wrong?” Her stomach twisted up. “Do... you have to leave before tomorrow?”
He took a tentative step back, eyes averted.
Desperation gripped her. This was heronlychance. Her chance tofinallyhave more to her life than slaving over an oven day in and day out!
She came right up to him and placed her hand over his arm.
His eyes shot wide at her touch, but she didn’t let him go. Instead, she met his gaze firmly, pleading with him with every fiber of her being. “Please. I know I’m a stranger, but I swear to you I will make this trade worth it. Just... come to the trade tomorrow, even for a few moments.”
