Rogan nods and steps back. “Keric, get her settled. She looks exhausted.”
“I’m fine,” I protest automatically. “I slept on the plane.”
“You still need some rest after the time change,” a female voice says.
I turn and see a woman approaching. She’s younger than me, maybe late twenties, with blonde hair and a warm smile. And she’s very pregnant.
“I’m Drew,” she says, reaching me. “Another Bride. Oh, you’re going to love it here!”
“I’m not... we’re not...”
Drew’s smile widens knowingly. “Sure you’re not. Welcome anyway, Anna. If you need anything, anything at all, find me. The Brides look out for each other.”
She pulls out her phone and I pull out the burner phone, which is now my new phone I suppose. We exchange numbers, just like that, as if I’m joining a club.
“We’ll meet up an have coffee soon,” Drew continues. “I’ll introduce you to the others. There are about sixty of us. You’ll fit right in.”
“I’m not staying,” I blurt out. “I mean, I don’t know how long I’ll be here. This is just... temporary.”
Drew and Keric exchange a look I can’t read. “Of course,” Drew says gently. “Just temporary. But coffee anyway, right? We’d love to meet you, no matter how long you end up staying.”
“Right. Thank you.”
She squeezes my arm and waddles back to where a massive orc waits, watching her with obvious adoration.
“Ready?” Keric asks. “I’m going to take you to my cabin.”
I nod, not trusting my voice.
Keric’s hand stays on my lower back as we leave the Great Lodge. The warmth from inside fades the moment we step out onto the wide porch. I shiver, pulling my coat tighter.
“Cold?” he asks.
“I’m fine.”
He makes a sound that suggests he doesn’t believe me but doesn’t argue.
Keric leads me toward a vehicle parked near the steps. It looks like an oversized electric golf cart. It’s surprisingly new and high-tech looking—two rows of seats up front, a flatbed in back for hauling. Nothing like the beat-up golf carts I’ve seen at parks back home.
“This is what you drive around here?” I ask.
“Kelt drove us inside with his SUV but he’s going to drive it back out now and park it in the main garage that is just outside the gates. Cars aren’t allowed within the commune,” Keric explains, opening the passenger door for me. “We mainly use solar and wind power out here, so we walk or use these electric carts. The cars are saved for longer trips.”
I climb inside the passenger seat of the open-air vehicle, with a roof on top and a windshield in front. The seat is comfortable and the interior is clean. Keric rounds the front and slides into the driver’s seat, his large frame making the cart suddenly feel smaller.
The engine starts with barely a whisper, just a soft electric hum. We pull away from the Great Lodge and I watch it disappear behind us as we follow a narrow gravel path, past rows of large cabins and deeper into the forest.
“How far away is your cabin?” I ask.
“On the outskirts. About fifteen minutes.”
Soon, we pass more cabins that aren’t in tight rows but are instead scattered among the trees. Some have lights glowing in windows. Smoke curls from chimneys. I catch glimpses of orcs through windows—cooking, reading, living normal lives.
“Everyone really does just... live here?” I ask. “Full time?”
“Most of us. Some go back and forth to human settlements for work. But this is home.”
“And that huge fence I saw earlier encircles this entire commune?”
