Page 41 of That’s My Orc, Tusk Off

I continued toward the snugglethorn pen.

“Tomorrow,” I told the creature, who ignored me. “I’ll bring coffee again, with none of the sweet dust—sweetener. Should I bring cookies from town?”

This was a meeting. I didn’t need to bring beverages and snacks. Did I? The break room had tea available at all times.

A fizzling chirped to my left.

I turned.

Nix had escaped and was working on his hole again.

“How did you—” A glance at the enclosure showed it still secure. No new hole I could see from here. I strode over and inspected the joining place, which was still holding the walls securely together.

Nix paused in his digging and looked at me over his shoulder. His stripes brightened.

He launched himself at the fence and discharged a full shock through the mesh. It rippled through the fence and even the ground beneath my feet, making every hair on my body stand up.

I opened my tablet and typed, Nix must have another escape route. I. Will. Find it. I will secure it, and he will never escape again.

I saved it to the file and placed my tablet on a nearby bench, then inspected the full enclosure again, finding no escape route.

“Back inside,” I said with a tired sigh, picking Nix up and taking him to his friends. He blinked up at me before snuggling into their clutch. “How are you getting out?”

He wasn’t going to tell me, but that didn’t matter.

“I’m not giving up,” I told him, securing the gate again and walking the perimeter, looking for tiny openings.

Finding none.

“No more.” I shook my finger at Nix, who was pretending to sleep. I could see his eyes opened to slits. Watching. Waiting for me to leave before he slunk away from the others and slipped back outside again.

With his gaze on my spine, I strode toward the building, my tablet tucked beneath my arm. I’d ask Drogar to take a look. He was good at solving mysteries like this.

The break room was quiet when I pushed through the door. We worked most days of the week, but my friends were gone already.

Or so I thought.

Drogar stood beside the kettle, pouring water into two mugs. He didn’t look up.

“You’ve been at that enclosure for an hour,” he said.

I stopped inside the doorway. “Nix keeps escaping. I can’t find how.”

“That’s not why you’re out there near dark.”

The words landed soft but direct.

I walked to the table and sat.

Drogar set a mug in front of me and took the chair across with the second cup of tea. He wrapped both hands around the mug and studied my face.

“She computerized the supply intake log this morning,” I said. I hadn’t had much chance to speak with her, but I’d noticed.

“And?”

“I’ll use it.”

Drogar went very still. “You’ll what?”