Chapter 10 Calypso
Chapter ten
Calypso
They had made a grave mistake leaving her with only one orc to guard her. And it was the stupid-looking one at that.
It was hard to hide her smile, and she felt like a cat who’d just caught a mouse in its sight.
The hours she’d spent trapped on the horse had given her a chance to formulate a plan of escape. As the journey continued, an ache had crept up her backside, and her thoughts of escape turned to revenge. Especially revenge on the orc who’d ridden behind her.
Vidorak.
She had tried her best to put distance between their bodies, and it came at the expense of her back.
Every time her bottom felt that thick bulge, the memories from the night prior replayed in her mind.
She felt like a blushing maiden at how her thoughts kept circling back to him, causing heat to blossom deep inside her.
This is what she got for being celibate for years. Her body clearly reached a breaking point, and now she lusted after her massive, stern captor.
She was not bashful about taking lovers. In truth, there had been no one who interested her enough to bed.
Pity that when she’d finally found someone that sparked an interest, she had to kill him.
Revenge would have to wait, however. First, she needed to escape and heal. The leg wound was festering, and she suspected fever would come soon if it wasn’t cleaned.
After sparing one last look at the orc to confirm he was engrossed in his work, she focused on a small lump nearby. The decaying body of a crow rested at the base of the tree where he had tied her.
How ironic that she found herself here too, in a similarly precarious situation. Death was not always final, and she refused to meet her end just yet.
She scooped up the bird corpse, scattering away the bugs that had infested it, and set it before her.
Facing away from the orc guarding her, she lifted her skirts until she saw the wound and gritted her teeth as she dug her fingers in.
The wound rebled, gushing down her leg in rivulets.
Her efforts were messy and uncoordinated, but she soaked the dead bird as thoroughly as she could.
The nullifying shackles may stop her innate fire magic from emerging, but dark magic flowed in her blood. Once it left her body, it held that charge unbound from the power of the shackles.
Carcass completely soaked, she whispered her spell.
“A mix of blood and bone, I say my pleas to the old crone. Fueled by rage, my power I will pour, for the dead to rise and serve forevermore.”
It took a moment for the blood to absorb into the lifeless body, but then the empty eye sockets blinked and red light shone within them. The crow flew up with shaky movements of its reawakened wings before landing on her shoulder, awaiting her command.
“Stay hidden until the orc with the key hanging around his neck arrives. When he is asleep, bring me the key.”
Once the words left her mouth, the crow disappeared into the dead of night, but Calypso continued to feel a light thread between her and the creature.
Necromancy was not something she let herself do often. There was a price for bringing back the dead. Just as the crow was connected to her, she was now connected to it. If the crow died, she would feel the vibrations of that pain herself. It wouldn’t kill her, but it would be significant.
Having succeeded in raising the bird, all she had to do now was wait. The night ticked along, and soon enough, the other orcs returned.
They brought back a couple of rabbits, which they skinned and ate raw. Calypso noted her orc returned more irritated than when he’d left. Good. His irritation would make him careless.
He came back with two speared fish and set them over the fire to cook.
She had said her earlier comments with the goal that he’d storm off and she could enact her plans.
Food was food to her, and she didn’t care about the dried meat one way or the other.
But the smell of the fish was pleasant, and her stomach clenched with a reminder that she was underfed and overexerted.
Fish cooked, he removed them from the fire and strode over to sit on the edge of her fur, an arm’s distance away. Then he ripped a chunk of the cooked fish and brought it toward her face.
Irritation at eating from his hand battled the hunger she was feeling. She lifted her bound hands up to take the piece, but he pulled back.
“I don’t need you to feed me,” she snapped.
“Either I feed you or you don’t eat.”
She glared at him, willing fire to erupt from her hands, but, unsurprisingly, nothing happened.
“Why? Do you think I will escape with the use of some fish bones?” She could, but he didn’t know that.
“I don’t know the full extent of the shackles, and I don’t trust you.”
He brought the meat up once more, and she relented. The lightheadedness from the repeated blood loss was making itself known. Freeing herself from the shackles would be pointless if she passed out a few feet from camp.
Her lips touched his fingers, and she could’ve sworn she heard him inhale. When she looked up, he was as expressionless as stone.
He handed her another slice, and they continued this way until both fish were gone. When he stood to leave, she realized he had eaten none of it.
Soon after that, the orcs extinguished the fire and laid down to rest. The minutes felt endless until they finally fell asleep, and when the snoring began, her heart started beating faster.
There was a light fluttering in the air. It was soft, but she was listening for it. The crow was following the directions she’d given.
Calypso stopped breathing, willing the world to freeze along with her. Unfortunately, the world had different plans. The slight shifting movement of a body caused her stomach to drop.
Vidorak was still awake.
This was not a good plan. She should’ve drawn him away from the group and then had the crow peck out his eyes.
Your foolishness has cost you your revenge.
The gravelly voice scraped at her brain, awakening as her worry mounted.
You have failed your mother.
The voice in her head knew every insecurity and brought it forth without mercy. At the moment, she didn’t feel strong enough to refute the claims.
A drop of sweat rolled down her forehead as she braced for the sharp stab of pain that would signify the crow’s death. The seconds that ticked by were unbearable.
Suddenly, something landed softly on her chest with a thump, and Calypso’s eyes flew open. In the gentle glow of the moon, she saw the key’s outline. She grabbed the key, clutching it like a lifeline.
Her little red-eyed friend landed near her head, and she examined the crow. There were no signs of harm, but she could’ve sworn she sensed Vidorak was awake.
When no one started shouting or running toward her, she decided not to question what had happened. What was important was that she could free herself and return to the stronghold.
Damn it, not a stronghold. The estate.
Even at a distance, Nyx’s parting words echoed in her mind. She blamed the exhaustion and starvation.
Shaking away her thoughts, she maneuvered the key toward the hole in the shackles. Before she could click them open, a booming laugh broke the dead of night, startling awake all four orcs.