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“I’ll tell you later,” she is saying, all the while headed to the tent flap. Looking over her shoulder, she gives me a smoldering smile, one that does not make it any easier to control my cock. “I’ll be visiting his manor house today, but I’ll be back by dinner. You can inform me of the day’s activities and . . . other things. Later.”
Then she is gone, and I am left alone. I consider taking myself in hand to release my pent-up arousal, but already I am spoiled. Anywhere other than Pellia’s tight cunt doesn’t appeal to me. So I wait a while longer and then move to start my day.
Investigations need to be made.
Though we could not find the spy in our midst yesterday, that does not mean that we are completely without recourse. My orc scouts and I scour the village, finding more orc-made trinkets, including some at the site of the fire we fought when we arrived. How we were supposed to have set and put out thefire, I do not know, but it is merely one more thing to add to the mystery.
But that is not all that we search for. Throughout the town we search for the scent trail of the ifrit oil. It was a mistake by the Cabal to orchestrate a fire when we arrived. If they hadn’t done so, then I never would have picked up the method with which they set up their arson. Now that I know the scent, though, I will never stop searching for it until I find the next arsonist.
The sun is high in the sky when one of my scouts, Ossit, comes to me. “Warchief, we’ve found it, but . . . you should take a look.”
Striding after them as fast as I can, they lead me to a barn at the edge of town. The orc scouts are all standing around it, two holding the doors shut for the outside. The telltale stench of ifrit oil curls through the air outside this building, a large quantity of the stuff obviously within.
“What is the meaning of this?” I ask, “Why are they holding the doors closed?”
“One of the undead is within,” Ossit answers. “He too was killed by a hex, possibly at the same time as the human yesterday.”
“But since we did not know about him, the dark magic has had time to raise him from his grave,” I muse grimly. “Is he strong?”
“He appears to have more strength than a regular human, though his flesh is already rotting. It is good that we found him. He appears to be astratkthri, a biter. He would have spread the curse through the town and we would have had an outbreak before long.”
I consider my scout’s words. “And the ifrit oil?”
“There’s a barrel in the back. If we had to guess, I would say that the bottle from yesterday was filled from this barrel.”
“So, this human was the source?”
“At least of the ifrit oil.”
Which means he probably knew more about the Cabal than Owen. When they found out that we knew about the ifrit oilthey decided to clean house, it seems. Frustrating. I do not want to be a step behind this fucking Cabal for one more moment. But it seems that we will not be able to find them out through this avenue and will have to keep following Pellia’s plan, dangerous though it may be.
I sigh. “Kill it. Smash in the head and burn it. Then call Hoggins to come and cleanse the barn of dark magic so the hex won’t spread and neutralize the ifrit oil so that it can no longer be used. At least we should not have to fight any more fires.”
“Yes, Warchief.” The surrounding scouts that have heard my words get to work quickly, though not before acknowledging my command with the sign of respect.
I leave them to it, not interested in watching them kill the undead. It is a task most orclings could do. But not most humans. It just continues to show how little regard the Cabal has for their own people that they left such a dangerous creature in their midst. Fucking cowards. I walk back to town, frustrated and maybe even a little angry. Another wasted day searching for shadows and finding none. When I do finally find the Cabal, I swear I will not stop until they are all dead.
???
It’s amazing how good sex can fix a disappointing day. I was in a foul mood from my thwarted hunt, barely fit for company. But after dinner, Pellia furtively smiled at me and walked to the tent before me. When I went to meet her, she was already on her knees, ready to suck my soul out through my cock and all thoughts of frustration and disappointment disappeared as we fell into each other.
Many rounds of fucking later, we are laying on my furs, the curvy little human draped on me like another blanket and my fingers trail teasingly up and down her spine, the claws entirely sheathed. I am considering beginning to thrum again for her when I remember she promised me a tale.
“So now will you tell me how you came to know Duke Strand?”
Pellia gustily sighs against me and props her elbows on my chest, holding up her head to look in my eyes. “Must we speak of other men when I am in bed with you?”
“Other men?” I quirk a brow, even as I have to hold back the growl in my chest.
She nods, with a world-weary air that I have never really seen on her before. “Yes. ‘Men.’ I cannot tell this story without mentioning Yorian as well.”
Now the growls come. I couldn’t hold them back if I wanted to. “The worm that branded you?”
“Yes. I met him and Antony very close to the same time. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
I nod. “If you want to tell me.”
“Wantis a strong word, but I suppose I do not mind.”
