We continued through the village in a heavy silence, but I found I didn't mind as I took the opportunity to map my surroundings. The huts were scattered with a chaotic irregularity, built with complete disregard for aesthetics, yet they looked sturdy enough to weather any storm. Some featured bleached bones dangling above their thresholds; others bore runes carved deep into the wood, symbols I didn't recognize but that surely hummed with wild power. Between the structures,fires crackled even in the height of day, and the air felt thick, saturated with the scent of woodsmoke and damp earth.
I was also acutely aware of the eyes following us. Some were curious, but others were hostile. I felt like a painting on display at an art exhibition, a strange masterpiece everyone wanted to pick apart.
Kalisha strode ahead with long, purposeful steps. I noted with a prick of curiosity that the villagers didn't even glance her way. She moved like a ghost among them, while they stared at me like I was some strange creature.
We passed through a more open clearing where a few orcs were training with spears and axes; the rhythmic thwack of metal biting into wood echoed through the forest. One of them, a mountain of muscle with a jagged scar that cleaved his face in two, paused his drill the moment he saw me. He muttered something under his breath before spitting into the dirt.
I made a face of pure disgust and jerked my gaze away.
"Don't do that," Kalisha said suddenly, not even turning my way. "Those who lower their heads become prey."
"I didn't lower my head," I countered, baffled by her implication.
Kalisha huffed, a sound that seemed to be the universal orcish expression for indignation or irritation.
"You looked away," she corrected, her voice hard. "You must stand your ground, or they’ll eat you alive."
I let out a long, weary sigh, already exhausted by a day that had barely begun. How many more things would I have to learn just to fit in?
Everything. The answer was everything.
???
Kalisha gestured to a hut set slightly apart from the others. It was larger and more spacious than the rest, and though built from the same materials, the lines were smoother and more carefully crafted. The door was nothing more than a curtain of bone beads that clattered together as Kalisha brushed through them. I rolled one of the white spheres between my fingers out of sheer curiosity, surprised by how smooth it was.
Inside, the scent of woodsmoke, wood, and cured leather permeated the air. The interior was simple: a stone fireplace dominated one wall, and a massive chair crafted from wood and leather sat before it, complete with a low stool. The floor was packed earth, softened here and there by animal pelts. The bed was against the wall opposite the hearth. It was nothing fancy, just a low frame of raw wood piled high with thick furs that worked as both mattress and cover.
A short distance from the bed sat a wooden tub, so large that to any High Fae, it might have been the size of a small lake. Kalisha stood with her arms crossed, her expression far from friendly, waiting for me to take it all in.
Though it was nothing like what I was used to, the hut would suffice. Despite its rustic nature, it offered plenty of space, which was vital if I was going to have to share it with this brooding orc.
"I like it," I said, attempting a smile. If I were to remain in Oksha, I needed to start making friends and finding allies. Kalisha was ill-tempered, but she would do. "However, there’s only one bed, so how will we...?"
She stayed silent for a moment, looking at me strangely. I took the opportunity to do the same to her. She was shorter than I was, but her arms and legs were toned with muscles. Herbrown eyes were the color of barley liquor, rounded and slightly arched. She had full lips and rounded cheeks, a combination that made her look innocent. If it weren't for the fact that she looked like she’d just swallowed a lemon, I might have even ventured to say she was pretty.
"Brusak," she barked, jarring me from my thoughts. It was my turn to knit my brows, confused by the sudden insult.
"I beg your pardon?"
"This is the Ruk’hai’s hut," she declared, her voice flat. "You’ll work here."
Chapter 9
I stared at Kalisha, eyes round and mouth hanging open wide enough for her to see my back molars. In response to my shock, she clicked her tongue and let out an impatient huff.
“You said work? Me? Here?”
She paused, looking me up and down. For a fleeting second, I could have sworn her gaze softened.
"Are you rak’er too?"
I frowned; the word was completely foreign to me. At the very least, it didn't sound like a slur. As soon as Kalisha registered my confusion, her rounded face soured once more.
"Different," she repeated, switching back to Common. "Are you also... different?"
I paused to consider. I was certainly different from her, though likely not in the way she was implying. Kalisha unconsciously flexed the stunted fingers of her underdeveloped hand, and the realization finally clicked. I cleared my throat and shook my head.
"No... I mean, I don't think so."
