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“Do not speak on my personal life if you do not want me to speak on yours,” Wodred responds simply. “Do not run an attack when your flank is weak. Now, leave me to the watch. Go get some sleep.”

Carefully, I close the window, not waiting to hear Gunag’s reply, if there is any, and creep back to the bed. My head is buzzing with what I just heard. What did Gunag mean that Wodred killed his best friend for me? I try to think back to who Wodred’s best friend was and pull up the face of a humanborn orc. Salthu, I think his name was? It’s true that I have not seen that orc since I got back to Orik, but that is not strange. Orcs die in battles all the time. But what does it mean that Wodred killed him? And for me? I had just started to get used to the idea of Wodred possibly wanting me and that it may be possible for me to want him back, but this information is strange and alarming.

My mind is troubled as I close my eyes, my thoughts spinning into a snarled mess before uneasy sleep finally claims me.

✽✽✽

BLOOD AND FIRE. A village beneath me, death following me. I point to the sleeping hamlet and feel as leathery wings brush past me to do my bidding. There is magic beneath me, I can feel it.

Jerking awake, I know within a split second that we are all in danger. Throwing back the covers, I burst out of the room, still just in my shift, moving to warn the sleeping innocents all around me, but I am too late. An alarm bell clangs out from a watchtower in the distance.

“Incoming!” I hear the cry, just before explosions rock the village, and I can see through the windows in the hallway, balls of fire are raining down, igniting houses all around us.

Doors in the hallway open, Sawa’s family spilling out of the rooms.

“Mama?” Kiva asks, sounding sleepy and frightened. “What’s going on?”

“There’s no time,” Kirigard says, sounding more serious than I have ever heard him. “We must get out of the house and head to the forest. Come, children!”

“Mama?” asks Lyra, sounding panicked.

“Listen to your father,” Sawa says. “Take nothing. We must move now!”

Sawa whirls toward me and says, “Lady Melelea, come with us. We will keep you safe.”

“There are demons and imps outside,” I tell her. “Their master, Grazrath, is sending them to look for magic users. You and your husband are in danger more than most, since you have healing magic in your veins.”

Sawa’s eyes widen. “The children do too!” she exclaims. “Little Kiva has a strong magical gift. What can we do?”

But there’s no time to make plans. A second wave of fire summoned by the imps comes raining down, this time hitting the house we are in.

“Get down!” cries out Kirigard. Flaming wooden beams crash down between us as we all dive out of the way. But I am not quick enough. My foot gets caught and pinned under the heavy beam as I try to leap to safety. I tug, but only pain greets me as I pull on my leg. I’m not burned yet, but it’s only a matter of time as the flames travel along the wood.

“My lady!” calls Sawa from the other side of the beam. It appears that her family is all on the other side of the fire, while I am trapped on my side by myself.

“Go!” I yell at them. “Keep low and stay out of sight! The imps are looking for you!”

“But, my lady—”

“Go!” I yell again. “Get to safety, all of you!”

I can see through the flames that Sawa hesitates for a moment, obviously torn about leaving me, but her husband grabs her hand and ushers the orclings down the stairs.

Now I am completely alone and still stuck. I can feel the licks of flame getting closer and closer. I pull again on my leg, but it is as hopeless now as it was the first time I tried. I am well and truly pinned. This very well may be where I die.

Then, suddenly, Wodred is there, like a divine messenger come when all is lost.

“Melelea!” he shouts from the other side of the fiery beam. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m stuck!” I cry out. “I cannot move my leg!”

“Just hold on!” the orc answers. In a moment, he drops his ax and grabs the burning wood with no regard to his own safety, hefting the bulk that is pinning me. With great effort, I scramble out from under the beam as Wodred lifts it, getting to the side of safety. When I’m clear, he drops it and picks up his weapon.

“The orclings!” I cry out. “They left before me—”

“They are out of the house,” Wodred responds. “Kirigard and Sawa took them out the back way. We have to move now, though. The next wave is coming.”

“It’s Grazrath,” I tell him. “He’s come for more magic users.”