Page 26 of Orc’s Promise (Knotty Monsters #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

TANSEY

F or days I’ve watched Yanzu, the new neld, assign Verig menial tasks, from emptying out the elimination chambers to burying the unused parts of the animals caught for food and skins. The dirtiest, most degrading jobs in the camp.

None of these tasks uses Verig’s warrior or leadership skills, but that appears to be the point. Yanzu intends to humiliate Verig.

Ethan begged me to bring him to the gorja pens today after the midday meal.

We come nearly every day, so we can watch the animals, but today I have something better to watch.

Verig. He doesn’t look in my direction, though I’m sure he’s aware I’m here.

Nothing escapes the male. He’s fully focused on his duties.

Or he’s too disappointed in me to bother with me any longer.

That last thought leaves a hole in the middle of my stomach.

“Look! There’s Verig!” Ethan climbs the rails of the fence, hanging onto the top as he points to him.

I swear I see the corner of Verig’s mouth hitch up, but he doesn’t face us or acknowledge our presence in any way. Despite the muck covering his boots and the horrendous smell, Verig cleans the pens with efficiency and fervor .

My heart swells with pride, but I cannot bring myself to approach him. Or forgive him. I have my pride, too. Too much, perhaps. But this is more than pride. I’m torn over what to do. I don’t see how I can make a life for Ethan here.

“Get that youngling out of here,” Yanzu snaps at me as Ethan leans against the top rail of the gorja pen.

“Our graka gave us permission to be here,” I lie, still not sure how much authority Paloma has among the orcs.

I doubt she would deny Ethan the chance to watch the gorjas.

He hasn’t made friends with the few orc children running around, mostly because he’s afraid to leave my side. Afraid I’ll disappear again.

I know the feeling. I fear the same thing.

“The graka is not in charge of the gorjas. I am.”

Yanzu is mad at me and taking it out on a child.

“Is there an issue here, Neld?” Verig asks when he hears Yanzu’s raised voice. He’s as calm as ever, controlled, and not disrespecting Yanzu even though the new neld has been an ass to him all week.

My eyes drag over Verig quickly as he approaches Yanzu. I hold my breath, hoping he’ll look at me. Verig faces me, slowly. He’s covered in sweat and smells to high heaven, but damn, he’s as attractive as ever, and I swear those green eyes burn brighter when he looks at me.

“I’m sure Tansey will keep her youngling out of the pen.”

“You do not belong here, humans,” Yanzu says, ignoring Verig. “Return to the tunnels.”

“We are allowed to walk around.”

“Are you afraid the female and her youngling will distract your warriors, Neld? Warriors who shouldn’t be so easily distracted.”

I fail to hold in a chuckle as Verig boxes Yanzu in. I finally let go and laugh, not respectful in the least, but Yanzu hasn’t earned my respect. Not like Verig. Though I don’t want to get Verig in any more trouble than he’s already in.

VERIG

“If the youngling wishes to see the gorjas, then I will take him for a ride,” Yanzu says, climbing over the rails to stand in front of Tansey and her son. Tansey lifts Ethan into her arms and turns sideways, protecting him from Yanzu, who is trying to use the boy to gain favor with Tansey.

He thinks because Tansey has left my quarters and moved in with the other females, that she no longer belongs to me. The fool.

“The boy will only ride with me,” I announce. “No one else will touch him or his mother. No one,” I repeat with a growl.

“Don’t vekking think you can threaten me, Verig. I’m neld now, not you.”

“Yes, you are neld. Which means I follow your orders. But this is my female. Not even a neld may come between a male and his female. And Tansey is mine, Yanzu. She and her son are under my protection.” I jump over the rails and insert myself between him and my female, making myself clear that I will fight him if he attempts to touch her or her youngling.

Yanzu storms off. “Get back to work, vekker, or you will be sleeping with the gorjas tonight. And you, female, be gone by the time I return.”

“Or what?” Tansey asks.

“Tansey,” I reprimand. I’ve pushed Yanzu enough, and I do not want the male taking his anger and frustration out on her, especially when I’m not around to protect her.

“Fine. We’ll stay away from the pen from now on,” Tansey says as she puts Ethan down.

I bend down to the youngling as Yanzu storms up the path toward camp. “I have not seen you in days, Ethan. Do you like my home? ”

“Yes.” He pinches his nose and scrunches his face. “You smell.”

“Ethan!” Tansey scolds him, but I hold up a hand to quiet her.

“I’m sure I do. Cleaning the gorja pens is dirty work, but it is important. We have to take care of those in our care. People and animals.”

“Will I have to clean them, too?”

“You are too young to handle the gorjas on your own. That is the first step. Guiding them out of their pens so I may clean.”

“But the orc by the campfire yesterday said that’s all I’d be good for. Cleaning the gorja stalls.”

I lift my eyes to Tansey for an explanation.

She nods. “One of the warriors…made some comments.”

I see the truth in her eyes. The comments were worse than the youngling understood, but he heard enough. This is what Tansey feared, what I did not recognize in my own people.

A prejudice I myself once held before coming to know Paloma and then, later, Tansey.

Many of us have accepted that we need the human females, but in focusing on them, we fostered a prejudice against the males of their species, one that will be used against the most innocent of humans… their younglings.

I cup the back of Ethan’s head as I stand.

“You will be good at many tasks. Cleaning gorja stalls is but one task you should learn. A warrior learns all the tasks in a settlement, because he never knows where he will be needed. Take pride in your work, Ethan, no matter if it is cleaning out gorja dung or guarding your grak.”

Eyes wide and wholly focused on my every word, he nods his head. A new pride sweeps through me. One I haven’t known in years. The ability to teach a youngling, to guide him and make him stronger.

“Today, when I complete my duties, I will give you your first riding lesson, and then we will groom and feed the gorja, so you understand the animal better. Yes, Ethan?”

He looks up to his mother. “Can I? ”

She hesitates, looks at me, and then says, “Only if you promise to behave for Verig.”

“I promise!”

I turn to resume my duties.

“Verig?” Tansey calls out, halting me. “Thank you.”

“For teaching your youngling?”

“Yes, that too, but mostly for respecting him. For giving him a chance.”

“I am not perfect, Tansey. I have much to learn. But just so we are clear, I’m doing this for the youngling, not for you or me.”