Fighting My Orc

Hunter finds Odera as soon as we arrive at the fighting ring. I tell them to both head home, and that I will deal with Osiris myself.

Odera wishes me luck before pushing Hunter into their van. With my support gone, I take a deep breath before heading into the hall where Osiris should be waiting.

The hall is dimly lit, and for a moment I consider that Hunter may have been mistaken and Osiris had already reentered the fighting ring.

But my gaze slides over a section of the wall partially concealed with by a bench and nearly gasp. My hand covers my mouth tightly and I take a step back as I view the scene in front of me.

An orc woman has seated herself on Osiris and skims her hands through his hair. Their faces are so close that if their tusks hadn't prevented it, they would've been kissing. My stomach coiled and the urge to vomit suddenly became prominent.

With silent steps I move away from the couple and exit the hall completely. Moving far away from the fighting ring and the stadium until I am in the surrounding forest.

My breathing is erratic and can probably be heard from miles away, but I can't seem to control myself. My legs keep striding forward like my thoughts that are running wild.

I want to deny that Osiris would ever put himself in a situation like that. That he wouldn't get so mad as to cheat on me. The memory of the female orc on his lap replays in my mind.

My chest pulls tight. We had just started thinking about a family.

I finally collapse against a large tree. Letting the bark scrape down my arms as I slide down to the forest floor.

Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe that orc had just been trying to help him. 'Yeah,' I think bitterly, 'Help him get an erection.'

I had sold my house in the human sector and cut nearly every tie with my family. Which meant there was only one person I could call at a time like this. Ashley.

She picked up on the third ring, "Olivia? Are you crying?" I can hear her truck engine turn on in the background, "Girl. You have got to stop calling me only when there is an emergency!"

I try to laugh so I can forget about my sadness, "I know... you like the drama in person."

She huffs at my attempt to joke, "Shut up. Tell me where you are."

It takes me a minute to walk out of the forest and find a road but at that point Ashley was already zooming through the streets of the orc sector trying to find me.

She orders me to hop into her truck as soon as she spots me, "Okay... first off," she gives me a once over, "Why are you running around in pajamas?"

Ashley lets me borrow a set of her workout clothes. Claiming she barely goes to her self-defense classes now that I am no longer the teacher.

She then sits me down on her couch to explain everything.

She gasps when I finish, "Seriously? After all of that?" Her eyebrow crinkles, "But they weren't, you know, kissing?"

I shake my head, "It doesn't really work like that with orcs. She was just- touching his hair and-" I touch my freshly braided hair that Osiris had done for me, "Osiris never wanted anyone to do his hair and always made such a fuss that he specifically braided my hair. No one else."

"Oh," Ashley drawls, "So that bitch was basically hitting second base with Osiris."

Tears resurface and Ashley immediately back tracks, "Maybe not! Maybe she was just checking his scalp. And had to sit on his lap so... ugh so... he wouldn't move." She cringed when I started crying harder. She envelopes me in a hug and soothes my hair back, "You know what always cheers you up?"

I sniffle and look at her inquisitively, "What?"

She laughs at my sour mood, "The Fae sector!"

I ignore the memory of the last time I went to the Fae sector and allow Ashley to drag me out of her house and to the other sector. We reach it in record time and I welcome all of the crowds.

I look around at all of the taste testers and light displays, "Is there a special guest or something?"

Ashley gasps, "Oh my fuck! You haven't heard," she turns away in astonishment, "Well I guess the orcs wouldn't really care-"

"Ashley," I shake her arm, "What happened?"

"The Fae royalty are visiting from other sectors, so this sector has pulled out all the gifts and treats to show their hospitality," she thanks a Fae woman who hands her a small food sample.

"Geez," I am handed a sample and quickly smile, "Thank you."

When I resume walking with Ashley I don't realize her jerky stop until I crash straight into someone. She holds back her laughter and helps to pull me away from the stranger.

The Fae man I stumbled into turns to me with a charming smile, "My apologies I didn't see you there."

"Sorry! That was completely my fault, I did not mean to run into you," I grab the end of my braid that fell over my shoulder and nervously pluck at the hair.

Ashley grabs my arm and thankfully begins to pull us away. The Fae man blocks our path, "Would you like this?"

"Thank you," I grab the small sample and continue walking with Ashley, whispering once he's out of earshot, "I don't think I've ever been more embarrassed."

I eat the sample as Ashley scoffs, "You have to admit he was cute though."

"I love Osiris," I slap a hand over my mouth. "I didn't mean to say that!"

Ashley looks to me oddly, "Uh... okay..." she keeps walking and continues, "When that Fae started talking to you I saw one of the other Fae's give you such an envious-"

"I love Osiris," I cough and look to Ashley, "What the fuck?"

"Olivia?" Ashley takes the different wrappers from the samples I've been eating and finds a purple one, "Olivia! Who gave you this sample?"

I look at the wrapper, "I don't remember. Why? What was it?"

"It was a truth serum for love," she huffs and starts to pull me away from the crowds and out of the sector, "I think that Fae you bumped into was a one of royalty. They are the only ones who can give out a truth serum like this."

After everything that has happened with Osiris I still love him, at least the truth serum said I did. "How long will this last," I begin to worry at my bottom lip..

Ashley shrugs, "Probably until you shit it out."

"Ew," I slap her arm, "Wait."

I begin to look back towards the Fae sector, "What if I got another one and fed it to Osiris! Then I'd know if he actually-"

Ashley shakes her head, "Olivia..." she pulls me away from the sector, "If you want to know what happened you should probably just talk with Osiris."

I sigh, "I just want to be sure."

"You can't always be sure. You aren't Fae and neither is Osiris. It wouldn't be fair."

"But..." I give her puppy dog eyes.

"I know," she wraps an arm around me and walks me back to her truck, "but remember when Osiris had to trust you when you said you didn't mean what was in that video?"

My eyes widen and I nod, "I just don't want to be lied to."

She forces me into the passenger seat of her truck, "No one does. That is why we have to be truthful when we can."

When she turns on the truck she lets it sit for a moment, "Do you want to ask him?"

"Right now?"

She nods in excitement and puts the truck into drive, "Yes. I will be waiting for your call so I know what happened."

We laugh at my expense. What will happen?

The question makes my stomach hurt. And as the sun slowly sets, I prepare to find Osiris.