“I said,what’s this all about? Raven is with me and that’s her bus.”
Eyepatch grins. “Not according to the official records. It’s been reported stolen, we have a warrant to seize it, and to take Miss Love into protective custody.”
“That’s bullshit,” I huff. “You can’t take me anywhere; I haven’t done anything.”
“That will be for the doctors to decide. You’ll be shipped south to a secure facility, where you can be properly assessed closer to those who care about you. As for you,” he says, pointing the tip of his gun at Mol, “Mol Lakktra, I’m arresting you on suspicion of six counts of unlawful killing of humans. More charges may follow.” He turns to his men. “Seize the bus.”
“Take a fucking step towards that bus, and I’ll make it sixteen counts,” Mol growls. “You have no jurisdiction here. This is Lakktra territory.”
The JE officer laughs and spits at the ground. “This is the United States. We don’t recognize orc territorial claims. Seize it.”
That’s when the carnage breaks out.
It all seems to happen so fast. One second, the orcs are standing around, wary but peaceful, the next they all seem to move as one, as if someone just pressed an “orc activation” button or something. I see a JE officer torn from the ground by his head, his gun firing wildly as he screams, blood running down his face from the deep gouges appearing in his skull. The last I see, he’s tossed aside like discarded garbage.
But the orcs aren’t the only ones fighting. Once the Judicial Enforcement get their bearings, they move quickly, forming a defensive ring around eyepatch, and their weaponry is far superior to the spears and axes being wielded by the orcs.
“Stop!” I scream, watching Mol rush forward into the fight. Oran and Tigor join him quickly, followed by Athaan. “Please stop! Mol hasn’t done anything wrong!”
“Come, girl,” Gathra says, wrapping her fingers around my wrist.
I try to struggle, but it’s no use. Tears blur my vision as I watch the fight, dragged away by my arm. “Stop, where are you taking me?”
“Into the woods where we will be safe. I hope.”
“I don’twantto be safe. I want to be with Mol.”
“Mol wants you to be safe,” she says simply. “I will carry you if necessary.”
The last sight I have of my mate, as I’m dragged towards the looming tree line, is his face twisted in pain as the butt of a rifle slams into his eye.
ChapterTen
Raven
“What’s happening?” I whisper to Gathra. “Should we go back?”
She shakes her head, thick brows knotted together, though whether it’s supposed to look stern or concerned I have no idea. “We wait. If it comes to it, I protect you. You’re my son’s mate. I protect you for Mol.”
“What do you meanfor Mol? He’s coming for us, right?”
“He will do all he can. For now, we wait.”
I open my mouth to protest, but she grunts in a way that saysno more. And my new kind of mother-in-law is pretty fearsome, so I reluctantly drop it.
It’s beenhours. At first, the sounds of fighting were loud and terrifying, but then they started to fade, as if they were moving away, and I’m not sure how long it’s been since I last heard anything. From where we’re hiding in the woods, I can see flames from the direction of the camp. I have no idea if they’re the flames of burned buildings, the aftermath of a fight gone to shit, or campfires being relit.
“I’m cold,” I mutter, more to myself than anything, but Gathra wraps an enormous arm around my shoulders and pulls me in tight.
“It’s shock,” she says. “Try not to worry.”
How am I supposed to do that when there’s a good chance Mol could be…
God, I can’t even bear to think about it. Try not to worry, like Gathra says. If she’s not worried, I’m not worried.
I glance at her face, trying to read it, but it’s impossible. Orc emotions must be buried deep.
Then her eyes flick up, looking over my head, and I swear I actually see her ears prick. I try to listen, to hear what she’s hearing, but there’s nothing.