Orc Sorceress by Silvestri Elliot

Author:Silvestri, Elliot
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Green Bush Publishing
Published: 2023-05-05T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Back in the village Ariste and Orint huddled inside the tent they had been assigned. It was better than nothing, but they had both had worse accommodations. They had both had better.

Neither said a word to the other for the remainder of the day. There wasn’t much to say.

Shortly after sundown they were invited by an orc to Sandraste’s tent. There was no reason to refuse.

Upon entering they realized the sorceress was alone. It felt strange to be three humans in the middle of an orc village, but circumstances, or maybe the gods, had brought them here.

“I’ll need the both of you tomorrow. We need to do the ceremony that I had planned for today.”

Both assassins nodded. It was Ariste who spoke boldly.

“Do you intend on conquering all of the North? Are you going to declare war on the human kingdoms?”

Sandraste laughed at the other woman. “No.”

“Then why are you gathering all the orc tribes to…whatever your cause is?” asked Orint.

“You don’t need to know. I just need your loyalty. But I’ll tell you anyway,” said Sandraste as she sipped at the tea prepared for her. Where the tea had come from was a mystery but it was better than drinking the mead that the orcs always seemed to have on hand. “There was a plot to kill some, or maybe all, of the Wizard Conclave. I escaped. I knew I needed to protect myself by gathering more power. That’s why I sought out the Circle of Wonder.” She smiled thinly. “It’s working. I can feel my power growing steadily. Weeks ago Ganmilton would easily have defeated me. Today he was hardly an annoyance.”

“At least ten orcs were killed,” Ariste pointed out.

Sandraste ignored her. “The problem with magical power is the desire to always want more. And more.”

“What are your plans?” asked Orint. He was curious, which he knew was not a wise thing to be, but he couldn’t help himself. For some reason he felt, temporarily at least, safe.

“I’m going to build a fortress to protect myself. The orcs will be my warriors, my army, my protectors. After tomorrow, if all goes well, I will release you. Stay or go. You can continue to serve me or disappear forever, I care not which.”

“A fortress?” asked Ariste.

“Yes.”

“To gather magical power?”

“Yes.”

“That’s…”

“Dangerous,” Sandraste finished for her. “But we already know that. I’ve started down a path that can only end in tragedy. I’m giving you both an opportunity to save yourselves and live out natural lives.”

“But not the orcs?” Orint asked. “Do we get a choice because we’re human or because we’re all but useless to you?”

“I have a certain…affection for the orcs. I will protect them the best I can.”

“You might be sentencing them to their doom,” said Orint.

“Yes.” She didn’t disagree with him. “But I have chosen poorly in my life and now many will suffer because of it.”

“Did you call us here just to tell us this?”

“Yes,” Sandraste said sadly. “I’m losing my humanity, but I still have enough of it to wish you both to retain yours.

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