Chapter 40: The Perfect Mate
Patch POV
He squatted while sweeping the stone floor and watched the orcs traipse in and out of the shrine itself, talking in Orcish about the preparations. Maybe they forgot that he understood their language. That he’d learned it as Intelligence Chief once it became apparent that the shifters would be dealing a lot more with the orcs.
And as he watched the monks and nuns painting their faces with ritual markings, dusting a stone altar, and lighting more candles all the while chanting and chattering, he realized that the orcs were no different than shifters in some ways. Especially these orcs, even though they’d done him dirty.
For a long time, he’d watched Azandra and Tulaska and now the witches prepare for various rites and ceremonies. Everything had to be right. The orcs could put them all to shame with the way they fussed over every detail.
“Are you sure we need three ritual daggers for this?” Brother Mendelek asked, placing three sharp daggers on a green cloth on the altar.