Broken Hate, Broken Heart - 6. Chapter 6

His final exams were coming up in a few weeks, and he couldn’t estimate the likelihood that he’d remain under Gash’s authority for a few more years. It would be perfectly normal if that were the case, and then he’d be hardly any freer than he was now.

Not that he really thought leaving the mountain and joining the humans was the best option—far from it; he’d never do that. Not even for Henry’s sky-blue eyes. But he couldn’t invite him either—not as a student, not as a shaman whose anointing had only just dried.

In any case, bringing humans down to the mountain—unless they came voluntarily or were women—was simply not something that came up.

He ran his fingers through his hair.

Only the lord of a ruby court could invite a human—a craftsman, in particular—and that person could hardly refuse such an honor, but he—Thokk—would hardly be granted the right to a tithe bride solely because of his studies. And he didn’t want one anyway.

An older warrior was telling the young men about life at the fort, but Thokk understood at most half of what he said—and, to be honest, he didn’t really want to understand it anyway. He washed himself and then floated in the water, trying to let his thoughts drift just as freely.

A barely suppressed growl entered the room. “—and I’m telling you, my father is just like yours. Ever since I finished my training, I’ve had to handle all the petty crap for him. Checking lists here, getting quotes from there. What does the man have advisors for?” whined an orc whose voice Thokk couldn’t place.

“Does your father listen to his advisors?” Korgar asked wearily.

Suppressing a sigh, Thokk tilted his head back until his ears disappeared underwater, but since he didn’t find the sensation particularly pleasant over time, he resurfaced almost immediately.

“—gives them a hard time. I think he’s afraid they’ll become too power-hungry and too self-assured—no idea.” The orc and Korgar splashed loudly into the water, the waves lapping against Thokk’s chin. “But the shaman? In his eyes, the shaman can do no wrong. He read the steam for him yesterday, and now he’s throwing all his plans out the window.”

Thokk’s ears twitched at the word “shaman,” and he found himself listening involuntarily, even though the two were moving away from him.

“Your father has a shaman in his court? Just for himself?” Korgar sounded skeptical.

“I’ll tell you,” the other orc returned emphatically, “that man enjoys more privileges than a dozen ordinary silk favorites put together. I wouldn’t be surprised if my father polished his prick with his own two hands.”

Korgar's reply to that went mostly over Thokk's head, because his thoughts had wandered.

A shaman in a ruby court. Reading steam and smoke.

His body lost the necessary tension and slipped too deep underwater; Thokk hurriedly straightened up, gasped for air, and wiped the water from his face. Blinking away the last few drops, he glanced at Korgar.

Korgar nodded at something his comrade said, then replied with grand, dramatic gestures, but, thankfully, in a lowered voice.

Thokk closed his eyes, took a deep breath in and out. He focused on his nose. Blocked out the sounds, the ever-present smells of sweat and soap. He could sense the warriors’ stale exhaustion after training, the bitter frustration and anger of the two near him. A newcomer carried a sweet scent that Thokk couldn’t place, and then, following footsteps from the other direction, came the unmistakable smell of sex and semen—someone hadn’t washed properly.

“What is it, little shaman? Uh, Thokk.” Korgar lathered himself up and his mouth twitched as the bar of soap slid over a deep scratch on his chest.

“I’ve been thinking about our conversation, and I think I can help you,” Thokk said, and Korgar frowned.

“What conversation?”

“Two weeks ago. At the healer’s office."

Korgar blinked. “Right. And?” He submerged himself up to his chin in the water to rinse off the lather.

“Not here.” Thokk nodded to the side.

“I’m not going into one of those cozy rooms with you.” Korgar looked amused but shook his head vehemently.

Sighing, Thokk suppressed a roll of the eyes. “I don’t want to go there either. But to the waterfall. We can talk there.”

“All right…”

The water in the other pool was cooler, and Korgar clearly didn’t like that, because he stayed seated at the edge, and Thokk, who had slipped in, unwittingly got a pretty good view of Korgar’s genitals.

“So, Thokk,” Korgar grunted, scratching himself there without a trace of shame, “what’s so important?”

“I have an idea about how you can get your court and your tithe bride,” Thokk said in a firm tone, but in a lowered voice. Despite the roar and splash of the waterfall, he didn’t necessarily want to be overheard.

Korgar’s mouth fell open, his head tilting almost unhealthily far to one side. “And how do you picture that? My father—“

“Your father doesn’t have a shaman in his court, did I understand that correctly?”

“...no. Well, yes. He doesn’t have one.” Korgar scratched his chin, wiping spray from his chest with his other hand. “Do you answer questions like that with a yes or a no?”

Thokk deliberately spread his hands as wide as he could underwater, giving his tension some room. “Korgar, listen to me. Do you understand steam or smoke reading? What it means?” He preferred to ask for confirmation, but Korgar nodded.

“Yes, why?”

Thokk took a breath, then licked his lips before speaking slowly. “Why don’t you go to your father and tell him that a shaman has read the steam for you and sees a… sweet and fertile future for you.”

Korgar narrowed his eyes critically to slits. “Why… should I do that?”

Thokk spread his hands again, but this time clenched them into fists, and took a deep breath. “Korgar, my friend, your father is refusing to recommend you for a bride, isn’t he?”

A nod.

“If a shaman speaks on your behalf, if your former teachers praise your fighting talent, how can your father continue to withhold his approval—or even speak against you?”

Once again, Korgar tilted his head thoughtfully to one side as he pondered. “Did you… read that? For me?”

Thokk simply raised a brow.

Korgar wasn’t quite as stupid as he seemed, because he grinned. “And what do you want from me in return, my friend?”

That was the important point. “A place in your court."

Snorting with amusement, Korgar shook his head. “Why would you want that?”

“Why wouldn’t you want that? Can you lead a court? Do you want to? I can do that for you.” Half in offer, half in apology, Thokk raised his hands and shrugged.

Korgar snorted again, but this time it sounded uncertain. “Why would you do that for me?”