Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 77: Please, Be Alive

Erinne was more exhausted than she'd initially thought. As she'd hurried out of bed, she'd given her physical state almost no thought, but now, as she struggled to saddle Lothar by herself, she felt every ache and pull of her muscles. Exactly how much had she been wounded? After she'd fallen to the ground and they started kicking her, she'd lost track of it all.

As she finally managed to saddle Lothar fully, she led him out of his stall and to the end of the stables where a sharp prickle along the nape of her neck had her yanking out her dagger and sword, prepared to fight.

"Whoa," Wren lifted his hands as he appeared in the shadow of the stable door. She hadn't been able to see him against the morning light and the contrasting shade.

"Apologies, my king," she said it quickly in case his guard prepared to take her head off for drawing weapons on their king, but as she sheathed them, she saw no one but him. His chin was lifted high but for once he held none of the regality that often came with that lift and sharp gaze. Instead, his eyes appeared inquisitive, his brow furrowed with concern. There were no marks to show that he'd just fallen from a great height just days beforehand, yet she could barely stand after Khash's life saving magic. "Is it a curse or a gift for you to heal that quickly?" She asked and he looked down at himself and then back to her.

"Uh, sometimes I think it is both." He was surprisingly earnest in his answer. The orc beast he'd created had seemingly received this gift, possibly healing even quicker than the king himself. She would bet money if the creature could speak, he would count it as a curse. His condition left him in constant agony, constantly rehealing what could not be healed, like the bones protruding from his flesh.

She didn't want to dwell on that now. On the dangers of running off into the woods with that monster out there somewhere. All she cared about right now was her family. "Has there been any sign of my dire wolves since they ran for the woods?"

"No reports of them. Not even a howl."

"Let's hope they're with Cold Hammer and Andol."

"Let us hope we find everyone alive."

His use of the word everyone suggested he included the humans in that statement. "I only need four alive." She countered. The rest could rot. She remembered their words, yelling that her children were abominations. They'd tried to stab her in the stomach while she still carried her baby in her womb. The cruelty of that made their actions unforgiveable. If they returned, she would demand Wren execute them. If he didn't...she just might do it herself.

"Can I at least try one more time to get you to stay?"

"And trust you humans to save my family?" She demanded loudly.

"Erinne, you are human."

"No." She shook her head. "I am an orc." She'd never been more certain about it in her entire life.

"You would claim the people that—"

"Killed my family?" She cut him off. She motioned around her. "My family was here, Wren, where are they now? Are they dead? Did your people kill them?" Her words didn't even break, instead they rose with a ferocious force that brought guilt to his eyes. "I am a warrior, Wren, and I go to find my family, either come with me or get out of my way."

She continued past him, her hands tightening on the reins as she led Lothar into the sunlight. She was angry, but more than that she was terrified. There was a bad feeling in her gut. The ancestors' words were haunting each step she took. Even Duran's silence when she'd seen him briefly, telling her that he felt her give up, but refusing to tell her if Cold Hammer and Andol were dead or alive. It was possibly his silence that scared her most of all.