Page 47 of Orc's Pride

My head whips around to look up at the top of the bluff, the two dark elves and the orc staring down at me in surprise.

“Shit.” I turn and run down the rest of the incline.

“Grab her!”

My feet carry me quickly through the trees, darting and weaving around trunks and bushes that stick out in precarious places. Should I lead them back to the base? It would certainly give me enough cover to lose them in the chaos of the fire.

But then again, Ishta could write off chasing me as a precaution and wariness towards humans. And the orcs at the base already hated me. They’d soon string me up in the middle of the square and light a fire under my feet to watch me burn.

Did Pitha know Ishta was here?

I have to try.

I hear the sound of something heavy coming my way and duck just in time to feel the wind whip past me. I stumble tothe ground, sliding on my hands as the sharp end of an axe protrudes out from the tree directly next to my head.

“Holy fuck,” I gasp.

It’d been two inches away from hitting me square in the back.

Loud footsteps crashing through the forest has me up and running again. The sound of an axe being pried out of the tree kicks up my adrenaline.

“Get back here!”

I pass through the clearing, quickly stopping when the two dark elves appear at the other side of it.

How did they get here so quickly?

They both grin at me.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I backed up slowly. “I don’t know what you want from—”

“Cut it,” One of them lifted a bow at me, an arrow already strung. “You know exactly why we’re here.”

Shaking my head, I put my hands up. “I have nothing you want.”

“Where’s the ledger!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Don’t lie to them, girl.” Ishta’s voice startles me, coming from behind me. “They know you have it. Either give it back to them or lose your head.”

He holds up the axe by its hilt, waving it easily in his hand while the muscles in his arm bulge slightly. I have no way of overpowering any of them, even if I had a weapon, which I don’t.

What am I going to do?

“Okay… alright.” I turn back to the dark elves. “I have it but it’s not on me.”

“Where is it?” The bow is still trained on me.

“Back at the base. If you just let me—”

An arrow flies right by my head, narrowly missing me when I duck out of the way and hit the ground.

“Stop lying!”

My body shakes, a small bead of blood runs down my cheek. The droplets coat the back of my hand in small pinpricks.