Page 35 of Scoring the Orc
I hesitate, every fiber of my being screaming against the idea. Emilia is not a token to be gambled, her fate not something to toss around in a game. Yet, I see the trap Gargash is setting; refusing might show weakness, or worse, it could incite him to take what he wants by force.
Emilia doesn’t deserve to go through something like this again. Aleryn bet and lost her. She belongs to me indefinitely. Why must he ruin things?
The sun beats down mercilessly, casting long, ominous shadows across the field, mirroring the darkness that seems to seep into my thoughts. My teammates watch silently, their fatigue momentarily forgotten, replaced by a tense anticipation.
I take a deep breath, trying to quell the storm within me. "This isn't a game, Gargash," I say firmly, stepping closer so that only a few feet separate us. "She’s a person, not a prize."
"But everything is a game, isn't it?" he counters quickly, his voice smooth as oil. "And everyone has a price. So, what will it be, Jurto? Are you afraid your team might lose?"
“Hah,” Hrogun mumbles. “Bold words from an orc with your record.”
Gargash smirks. “I’ve won more matches than you can count, you hard headed fool.”
His words are a taunt. He knows just how to provoke me, and I feel the control slipping, my anger a live wire sparking dangerously close to detonation. But it’s that very anger that steadies my resolve.
"No," I reply, my voice steady now, the rage channeled into a cold, focused determination. "We'll play your game. But not today. We'll meet on the field for a match. That should give you some time to pray to the gods you grovel before."
Gargash's grin widens, and he gives a sharp, mocking laugh. "Very well, Jurto. A match it is. Prepare well. It’ll be a match to remember, especially when I take your precious Emilia home."
I freeze. How the fuck does he know her name? And who told him?
He turns, his laughter echoing back to me as he and his lackeys make their way off the field. As their figures recede, a heavy silence descends over us. I turn back to my team, their faces a mixture of concern and resolve.
"We have work to do, brothers," I say, more to myself than to them. "We train harder, we fight harder. I’ll be damned if we let Gargash and his orcs win a match against us.”
As I turn to my team, the weight of what’s at stake settles heavy on my shoulders. But when I meet their eyes, I see it reflected back at me—a fierce, unwavering determination. They know what we need to do, and despite the exhaustion etched on their faces, they pull themselves up, ready to stand with me.
“Alright, everyone, gather around me,” I call out, my voice firm but infused with a warmth that surprises even me. They come, forming a tight circle around me—Hrogun with his ever-watchful eyes, Varg whose quick feet have saved us more than once, Krodash with his brute strength, Kraag with his cunning, Borka with his newfound resolve.
“We’re not just training for a match,” I begin, my gaze locking with each of theirs in turn. “We’re training to protect something important. Gargash thinks he can threaten us, and thinks he can take what he wants. We’re going to show him he’s wrong.”
Hrogan steps forward, clapping a heavy hand onto my shoulder. “We’ve got your back, Jurto. We train together, we fight together.”
His words ripple through the group, and a chorus of assents rises up. Borka nods vigorously, a fire lighting up his eyes.
“We’ll make them regret ever stepping onto the field with us,” Varg adds, his voice sharp and fierce.
I nod, grateful for their support, feeling it bolster my own resolve. “We sharpen every technique, we perfect every play. We become the unbreakable wall and the unstoppable force. No mercy on the field, understood?”
“Understood!” they shout back, their voices a unified force.
We dive back into training with a renewed vigor. I set up drills that push their limits, and they meet each challenge head-on. We work on our formations, our passing, our defense—every element that could give us an edge. The sun continues its relentless assault, but we barely notice now, our focus narrowed to the task at hand.
As they move through the drills, I can't help but glance occasionally toward the path leading away from the field, half-expecting to see Emilia watching. The thought of losing her to Gargash’s grim intentions gnaws at me, stirring an uncomfortable vulnerability in my chest.
This vulnerability transforms into a fierce protectiveness, fueling my determination. I jump into the drills, moving with a vicious precision. If Gargash thinks he can use Emilia to unnerve me, he’s sorely mistaken. I’ll fight with everything I have to keep her safe, to keep her from his grasp.
As practice wears on, our movements grow sharper, our calls louder, our spirits harder. We are more than a team; we are a brotherhood forged in the fires of adversity, bound by a common cause.
We will be ready for the Stonebreakers. We will be victorious. For honor, for glory, for Emilia.
23
EMILIA
Clenching my jaw, I scrub the floors with renewed intensity while Burna and Yalia mumble things about me from somewhere behind me. With the way they gossip about me, in front of me in most cases, it makes me miss the camaraderie I used to have back in Aleryn’s home.
At least there, we were all bonded due to our traumatic experiences with Aleryn. Here, things are so different.