Kaius the Fierce by Cara Wylde

Chapter Twenty-Six

Kaius was still half-unconscious when Thrak hoisted him up his krag. A grunt helped him, and they made sure that he was well secured on the beast’s back. The krag was used to its master, and guided by Thrak down the mountain, it moved slowly, carefully stepping over rocks and bushes. When most of the orcs who’d survived the battle were strong enough to walk or ride, as the captain’s second in command, Thrak the Butcher decided it was best to retreat to their valley, where they could rest and better recover in the abandoned houses. They had supplies there that Goroth’s horde hadn’t vandalized.

Grace found Sasha, and together, they mounted a smaller krag. Beka helped Birma, and the four of them set to make the journey to the valley. A few grunts who hadn’t sustained bad wounds stayed behind to bury the dead. All the dead.

“Shouldn’t we take our dead with us?” Grace asked.

Beka the Wanderer shook her head. “No. They will lay where they fell. On the battlefield. That is our way.”

“Oh. Sorry. I still have so much to learn.”

They rode in silence. They were too exhausted to talk, but at least Birma was feeling better. Ulgan had cleaned and closed her wound, and it was healing nicely. Sasha was tired too, and she leaned her head back to rest against her mother’s chest. Grace had her arm wrapped around her middle to make sure she wouldn’t fall if she fell asleep.

“It was amazing,” the girl whispered at some point.

Her eyes were closed, so Grace’s first thought was that she was dreaming.

“It worked,” Sasha continued. “The cream Ulgan gave me, and the words... I don’t know what they mean. I asked him, but he didn’t make any sense, so I don’t know. But did you see, Mommy? I actually stopped the poison from spreading through her blood.”

Grace smiled. Her daughter wasn’t sleeping. She was just processing what had happened back there, and how she’d dabbled in magic. The magic of orcs.

“I did see. I thought I was tired and my eyes were playing tricks on me. But you did it. You saved Birma.”

“I wouldn’t say I saved her. But I kept the infection at bay until Ulgan could do something.”

“You did goo. So good.” She kissed the top of her head.

Sasha opened her eyes and looked up at her. “Mom, do you think I could do it?”

“What, baby?”

“Learn from Ulgan. Learn how to do magic and heal people.”

“I... I don’t know... I’ve never heard of a human doing orc magic. Why don’t you ask him?”

“I did. He’s exhausted, and he talks in riddles. I’m used to it, but this time not even I can guess what he means.”

“Ask again tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow. When this whole ordeal is over.”

“I will. I’d love to learn how to do what he does. He’s already showed me so many plants.”

“I’m glad you found something you love. You’ll be great at it. And I was just thinking today... the horde could use a second mage.”

Sasha grinned from ear to ear. “Maybe he’ll teach me. Even if I don’t have his talents.”

“Some talents you’re born with, some you develop... I know you can do it. You’re a healer. You have that aura...” Not that Grace knew much about auras, but she could certainly feel her daughter was special. She’d kept death at bay today, and she’d done it with grace and determination. “I just... I just wish you could enjoy your childhood a little longer.”

Sasha shrugged. “I think childhood is overrated. I’ve had enough of it.”

Grace sighed. “I have to admit you haven’t sounded like a six-year-old in a while.” She had a secret theory that in the presence of orcs Sasha grew quicker. She was more mature than she’d been a month before.

“The world is tough, and I have to be tough,” she went on, straightening her back and leaning forward to sink her hands into the krag’s mane. “It’s okay. I like being an adult more than I like being a child.”

Grace brushed Sasha’s hair away from her forehead. They were both dirty and stank to high heaven. The first thing she was going to do when they reached the valley was to wash both her and Sasha and find clean clothes.

“But you’ll still play with your dolls?”

“Maybe.” She grinned. “Only because I have to practice on something.”

Grace laughed. “Okay. But will you still ask for more candy than you should be allowed to have?”

“Yes! I’m not giving up candy. And you know, if I start training with Ulgan, I’m going to need more candy. Like you used to drink coffee in the morning, I’m going to need chocolate.”

“Oooh coffee,” Grace moaned. “Don’t remind me.”

They reached the valley, and Thrak and Beka found an abandoned mansion where they could fit in the entire horde. At least the wounded orcs, because the others had plenty of work to do outside. There was much cleaning to do after the battle, and they had to at least try and save some of the gardens and fields Goroth that destroyed. Ulgan was needed once more, since he could heal the land to some extent.

They put Kaius in a large bedroom with a view to a half-burned vineyard. After she washed herself to the best of her ability, Grace pulled a chair by his bed and curled up in it. She found it funny that Kaius had been so against beds, and now he was lying in one, sleeping rather comfortably. She wrapped herself in a blanket and prepared to watch over him for as long as he needed to come back to her. She left the door cracked, so whoever wanted to see their captain could walk in.

Once she’d given Sasha some clean, old clothes she’d found in a dresser, the girl vanished. She went to look for the mage and ask him what she could do to help the orcs who weren’t a hundred percent healed. Grace wasn’t worried about her. If the past few hours had taught her anything, it was that her daughter could handle stress better than she could. She’d felt overwhelmed, lost, and like a burden for those who were actually doing something to save their captain and set their world back on its axis. All she’d done was to cry and despair. Sasha had been proactive and lent a hand where she could. She’d made a difference.

“Things have to change,”she thought. “For their sake. I have to change.” She touched her stomach. Her children needed a mother who could protect them. Not a mother who needed to be comforted and protected. “What happened, happened. I’ll do better next time.” She truly hoped there wouldn’t be a next time. Or, at least, not a next time of such proportions.

At some point before sundown, Beka the Wanderer came in with a plate of food. It wasn’t much, but Grace ate everything greedily. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was.

A few times, Sasha came in with a fresh basin filled with warm water and plants floating around. She said they were supposed to help with the fever. Kaius was a bit hot, but his body was fighting to heal itself. The mage checked his vitals once and seemed satisfied enough to not set foot in the room until right before dawn, when Kaius stirred, opened his eyes, and reached out to touch Grace’s hand. She’d been asleep in the chair, in a rather uncomfortable position, and when she felt his rough hand squeezing around her fingers, she jumped straight to her feet and yelled. Sasha and Ulgan came running.

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

Kaius chuckled weakly. “I’m sorry. I scared you,” he said to Grace.

“Oh my God!” She slipped into bed with him and hugged him gently, awkwardly, as if she were afraid she might hurt him. “You’re back. Thank you! I thought...” She sniffed, looked into his eyes, then hid her face in the crook of his neck. “No, I won’t say it. You’re here. I missed you so much.”

“But I never left.”

“You know what I mean.”

Ulgan waved his hands and shook his head. “The moon is up, and the birds have to fly home. I have no time for stories.”

Grace laughed. Kaius was so used to Ulgan’s babbling by now that he ignored him. He nodded at him once, letting him know that he thanked him for healing him. Ulgan bowed slightly and was on his way back to wherever he was needed most.

“He’s trying to save his herb garden,” Sasha explained. “I’ll go help him.” She came to the edge of the bed, though, and hugged Kaius briefly. “I’m glad you’re okay. You really scared us.”

Kaius sat up, wincing when his sore back rubbed against the pillow. “It’s just a scratch.”

Sasha tsked. “Sure. Never get scratched like that again.” She turned on her heels, but before she exited the room, she threw over her shoulder. “Congratulations! I can’t wait to meet my baby brother.” At the look of surprise on the orc’s face, she chuckled and rushed out the door, like she’d just pulled a cute prank on him.

“She knows.”

“I had to tell her. I mean... I wasn’t planning on it, not when you were bleeding to death in my arms and Ulgan had just snapped the other mage’s neck... But it slipped. Later, we talked about it.”

“And is she... all right?”

“Yes.” Grace smiled. “Didn’t you see? She’s thrilled.”

“In a good way?”

“Thrilled is positive. So yes, in a good way.”

He smiled widely. “We’ll give her a baby brother.”

“With green skin and sharp tusks. She won’t be an only child anymore, but she’ll still be the better-looking child.”

Kaius frowned. “Bad joke.”

Grace laughed. “No! Admit it, it was a good joke.”

“I’m not laughing.”

“So, you’re saying your son is going to be more handsome than my daughter?”

He grinned. “No...”

“Good. Because I wouldn’t want us to have an argument when you’re still in bed, not feeling a hundred percent. I could easily overpower you.”

“You could never overpower me.”

He made his point by tackling her to the mattress. She yelped, laughed, and he covered her mouth with his. Her giggles turned into a moan, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. They couldn’t find clothes to fit him, so Thrak had helped her remove his torn, bloodied shirt, and now Kaius was in his leather trousers alone, and barefoot. As the kiss deepened, she greedily ran her hands all over his shoulders and chest, careful not to let herself be carried away. For now, his back was off limits. The scar was tender, hot, and throbbing. On another note, she could feel another thing throbbing, and this one, she was free to touch. His hard cock was pressed against her stomach, and she would’ve loved to position it lower.

Kaius broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. “Grace, I love you.”

“Aww... I love you too.”

“But there’s something I need to do first.” He rolled off her and off the bed.

“What?” She sat up, watching him worriedly. “What are you looking for?”

“My boots.”

“By the door.”

He put them on.

“My sword.”

Grace sighed. “You need more time. Please come back to bed.”

“My sword.”

“It’s outside. There’s a coffee table... you’ll find it there. I’m sorry, I didn’t want to keep a weapon in the room. After what happened...” She shuddered. She’d never get used to having enchanted weapons around. Birma had almost died because of one.

Kaius walked out of the room, grabbed his long sword, then went back inside.

“Take me to see Goroth. You know where he’s being kept, don’t you?”

“Oh God.” She stood up and looked for her own shoes. “Yes, I do.”