“Audrey, where the hell have you been? You missed the last two check-ins.”
“I’m fine,” she said, but even she could hear how her voice sounded different.
Shauna’s voice cut in. “You don’t sound fine. What happened? Are you okay?”
“I said I’m fine. A few things happened, but I’ve got this. Don’t stress me out.”
There was a pause on the other end, and she could practically feel them exchanging worried glances.
“Listen,” Tyler said. “A few hours ago, we saw a group of orcs heading into town. It’s probably the one Morgath sent out. Just a heads up.”
Audrey’s heart jumped in her chest.
“Thanks. I have to go.”
She turned off the radio and shoved it back into its hiding spot. What if one of the orcs returning was the one she was looking for? What if after all this time, all this waiting, planning, and pretending, he was finally here?
She got dressed quickly, pulling on her jeans and a simple shirt, her fingers fumbling with the buttons.
She ran to the diner, but the group wasn’t there yet. The diner was mostly empty, with just a few orcs having breakfast.
Audrey went into the kitchen, where Maika filled a plate of food without her even asking, piling on scrambled eggs, bacon, and fresh bread still warm from the oven. Dorsha poured her coffee and set it down in front of her with a smile. Varka and Zulka were there too, all of them moving around the kitchen in their familiar morning routine.
“We heard what happened with Brumis,” Maika said as Audrey sat down and dug in. “Morgath gave her a stern talking to.”
Zulka laughed.
“Then he sent her to hunt with Morgrim the Brooding, to expend some of that extra energy since she’s so eager for action.”
They all laughed together. The female orcs – the girls, as she called them – had become her friends over the past few weeks. She hadn’t expected it, but here they were.
“You fought well yesterday,” Dorsha said, leaning against the counter with her arms crossed. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”
Audrey shrugged and took a sip of coffee.
“I took some fighting classes. I’m an orphan, so with no one in the world to look after me, I had to take care of myself.”
Her words hung in the air for a few long seconds.
“What happened to your family?”
“Dead,” Audrey said simply, without elaborating.
The female orcs exchanged glances but didn’t push.
“I’m sorry,” Maika said.
The others nodded but said nothing else. Death was something orcs were used to, something they respected but didn’t make a fuss about, and Audrey was grateful they didn’t try to comfort her or ask more questions.
“So, what’s new?” She tried to sound casual.
“The party the captain sent out has returned,” Zulka said, pouring herself a cup of tea. “They have a young mage with them. His name is Nezhar the Sharp, and he looks promising.”
“Why would a young mage leave his own horde?”
“Hordes only need one or two mages at most,” Dorsha said. “So, there are not enough spots for those who are gifted. Nezhar isn’t even a pure blood orc. He’s the son of an orc mage with a human bride, so he’s hybrid, but he’s very talented. Morgath is testing him right now.”
Audrey nodded.
