Heist at Highridge

By Yancy Ball

Shauba, Mikel, and their new friend Danica, visit the town of Caddroch, tasked with meeting a sage to study the sole known copy of the Treaty of Great Wallamous. The two-century old Treaty binds Shauba's Red Tusk orc tribe in alliance with her human home, Hillcrest March. Their quest seems like a simple one. But some folks in Caddroch are not too keen on having a person of the orcish persuasion in their town, especially after a recent act of banditry for which orcs are the prime suspects. To complicate matters, getting their hands on the text turns out to be harder than they thought. It is being auctioned off by one of the wealthiest (and shadiest) men in town.

The unexpected appearance of Quin Wallams, cousin to Hillcrest's Marchlord, seems to help. Shauba is instantly drawn to the mysterious stranger. But is Quin a friend-with-benefits, a foe-with-benefits, or something in between?

Heist at Highridge is a 30,000 word novella, the sequel to The Half's Way. This erotic fantasy adventure contains elements of mystery and romance, graphic sexual situations, queerness, fighting, lewd and lascivious conduct, and wholly exorbitant use of the f-word.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Yancy Ball
• Release date: May 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005905439

Yancy Ball

As an amateur writer with a vastly overactive imagination, Yancy Ball has been writing sexy heroines into African-inspired fantasy realms for many years. During the day, Yancy enjoys cycling, martial arts, and conspiring to build a brighter future. Read Yancy’s Smashwords interview at https://www.smashwords.com/interview/yibala.

Book preview

Heist at Highridge

by Yancy Ball

Published by Yancy Ball

Copyright 2022

Smashwords Edition

Cover Art by The Illustrated Page Book Design

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

She’s an Orc

I Thought You Were a Bitch at First

We Love to Entertain

Full of Pigshit

The Auction

Want to Try Something You’ve Never Done Before?

Quin

The Heist

A Vein of Copper Under the Sheepfold

You’re Already Accosting Him

About the Author

Other Books by Yancy Ball

Connect with Yancy Ball

She’s an Orc

The town of Caddroch draped a hillside, its blocky towers rising above stone walls on uneven ground. Autumn brown fields surrounded the town – the seat of Lord Leonis of Highridge March – their crops of wheat and sugar beets mostly harvested. Only the vineyards, between the town walls and the summit, still shimmered green and gold in the evening sun.

It’s bigger than East Wallams. Shauba gaped, counting the peaked roofs that she could see above the walls.

Most towns are bigger than East Wallams, Mikel said, tugging on his goatee. He jingled the pouch full of silver that Shauba’s cousin Alog had given them several days before. Come. It’s getting cold, and we can actually afford a room with beds.

How many beds? Shauba jostled him with an elbow as she rushed ahead. Danica and Mikel were still coy about whether they were fucking.

Some Melissa tea would be delightful, Danica said. She scratched the bristly hide between Rash Girl’s ears. The warpig responded with a grunt of contentment.

The silver had been hard-earned. Shauba, Mikel and their new friend Danica fought for their lives, and spent four days in an orcish dungeon for it. After their exile from the Red Tusk orc hillfort of Esker, they had traveled through Clearwater and into the evergreen highlands of Highridge March. They were far south of Hillcrest, the March where Shauba and Mikel had grown up.

The road to the town gate started at the windmill, a log-built tower that creaked as it steadily ground grain into flour. As the three companions crossed the shaded vale, they spotted weary farmers, and shepherds calling cows and sheep in from pasture.

Ho!

A group of watchmen with spears and torches hailed them from under the town walls. The guards wore chainmail and coats of black and brown, similar in pattern to the lightly armored horsemen Shauba had spotted patrolling the area.

A bushy-bearded leader stepped forward. What’s your business here? he demanded.

It had grown dark fast. Torchlight glinted off their hauberks as the men studied the newcomers.

We seek the sage Jonah of Malkas, Danica said, hands clasped in supplication. I am an alchemist’s apprentice from Clearwater, hoping to finish my studies with him. My friends here are a minstrel and a woodcutter, from Hillcrest.

The guard scowled, looking closely at Shauba. She’s an orc, he gasped.

Shauba gave a mocking grin, tusks nicely framing her upper lip. Thanks for noticing. Sometimes I forget.

She’s not coming in, the bearded man said. He jabbed a finger at Rash Girl. Neither is that... orc beast-thing.

The massive boar gave a wounded snort.

He’s not an orc beast. He’s just a pig, you fu-

Hand hard on her shoulder, Mikel quickly stepped in front of Shauba, hefting the pouch full of clinking coins. I’m sure there’s some sort of toll for entering the town. We will happily pay. How much do we owe?

At this, a couple of other guards approached for a closer look. One of them was younger, with a square-jawed face and a shock of coppery hair under his helmet.

There’s no toll, the bearded guard said. He nodded his head at Danica. You and she can enter, not these... he waved a hand at Shauba and the warpig, apparently at a loss for categorical terminology.

Fine, Shauba announced. We’ll follow their stupid rules. Truth be told, Shauba had spent most of her life outdoors. She’d never been in a building larger than Systava’s temple in East Wallams. Rash Girl and I will just camp out right here.

No, you won’t. There’s an inn outside the walls, the guard jerked his thumb. On the west side of town, where it’s safer from raids.

"Orc raids," the copper-haired youngster cut in. Shauba narrowed her eyes at him.

I won’t promise they’ll let you in, the leader went on, speaking to Danica, but if you’re generous with your silver they might have a stable to spare.

Listen, you fuckin’ wad! How’d you like my boot raiding your- oww!

Mikel, who’d elbowed Shauba in her still-sore belly, dragged her backwards. Danica followed, so that they could huddle together.

Let me find Malkas, she said. I’ll meet you both at that inn later tonight.

Savage, the young guard uttered, just loudly enough for Shauba to hear. Her glare matched his.

A good plan, Mikel said hastily. His hand dropped to hold Shauba’s, and he tugged her towards the rutted paths that led around the town.

Much of Caddroch was outside of its walls. The path curved around farmhouses, carpenters’ hovels and vegetable gardens.

It’s fucking worse than Hillcrest here, Shauba snarled, making sure Rash Girl didn’t veer off towards an unguarded basket of parsnips and carrots. A dog barked nearby, no doubt picking up the warpig’s scent.

Orcs never raid Hillcrest, Mikel said. The Red Tusks on their border observe the treaty.

Do you think Dani will be safe in town without us? I don’t trust those guards.

Mikel shrugged. She lived among the orcs at Esker for months before we came along. She can take care of herself. I think she’s eager to meet this Jonah of Malkas.

Shauba and Mikel climbed the rugged path along the northern side of the walled town, passing a steepled temple of Aersus, the god of revelry. The doors and the well-lit interior were still open to worshipers.

Mikel hummed a little tune. The bard had been composing a song about their Red Tusk adventure for the past day. What do you think? Does ‘stuffing his ass full’ rhyme with ‘release the Pikeskull’?

Shauba shrugged. Sure. I guess. I like Dani, she said. I don’t want her to go.

I like her too, Mikel admitted.

Shauba poked him in the ribs. "Yeah? How much do you like her?’

Her friend turned to her, dark brow furrowed. Shauba, we’re doing what needs to be done to help the tribe. I am with you all the way on that. But Danica has her own path to follow. I think our ordeal soured her on orcs.

Danica had been both a healer and concubine amongst the Red Tusks for months before Shauba and Mikel arrived. Perhaps she was bitter about being exiled after serving the orcs for so long. On the other hand…

She may be sour on the Red Tusks, but I think she’s a little sweet on my cousin Alog, Shauba said. Her teasing tone would have been far more effective had Danica, in fact, been present.

Having circled around to the far side of town, they entered into a lightly wooded area. Acorns littered the path. A vineyard grew to their right, and the slope continued up to the summit of the hill, where the lights of the Marchlord’s castle twinkled.

It was darker here, with fewer buildings nearby. Shauba took the lead, her orcish night vision allowing her to see clearly.

Here, Mikel said. He slipped off his blue tabard, even though he must have been chilly with it on. Wear this like a hood for now. We need to get you a cloak to hide your features.

Shauba pulled it around her mass of curls, covering her pointed ears and throwing her face into shadow. The light wool smelled like Mikel. Like sweat, and home, and the slightest hint of sappiness.

The inn was unmistakable. The central building was gabled, two stories high, within a stone’s throw of the town walls. One-story wings enclosed a wooded courtyard. Flute music came from the common room, along with the aroma of beet soup and grilled meat.

Wait here, Mikel said. I’ll see if I can get us a room, meals and a bath.

Shauba sighed. She pulled the tabard close around her face and drew away from the path with Rash Girl, watching Mikel go to the entrance.

How different it was here. Back in the town of Hillcrest, most everyone knew Shauba. They may not have loved her, but they didn’t fear her. In Esker, Danica and Mikel had been the outcasts, not