Page 8 of Orc’s Promise (Knotty Monsters #3)
I twist my hands as the lack of any communication with New Earth eats away at me. Mary’s a good mother, and Ethan and her little boy James get along great, but Ethan has to be confused about why I never came home. I refuse to lose Ethan again.
“Tansey!” Paloma says. “I had no idea you had a child. Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“Hell, Paloma. I can’t let the orcs know I have a son. They’ll use him against me!”
“That’s where you’re wrong. They value children more than the people of New Earth do.”
She has a point. While there are so few children here, they are well cared for and happy.
“You never said anything about him before, even when we met in New Earth.”
A strangled laugh escapes me. “You were in a prison cell, Paloma. I’d never met you before, and the councilman who assigned me to deliver your trays said you were a traitor, that you’d sold us out to the orcs, giving them vital defense intel.
I was there to deliver your meals under strict orders not to talk to you. ”
“But you did talk to me. Why?”
“You were in bad shape. You weren’t eating, and you barely spoke. Traitor or not, you didn’t deserve to die. I tried to keep your spirits up, to coax you to eat.”
“I wasn’t in a good place, physically or mentally. I believed Atox was dead and Council was poisoning my food to cause me to miscarry.”
Her words shock me, until I recall the whispering in the kitchens when I picked up her trays.
A councilman who never worked there showed up in the prep area every time they put a tray together for her.
He always insisted on inspecting the tray personally.
He could have slipped anything into her food or drink. “I didn’t know.”
“Of course not. And I didn’t have the energy to convince you.”
“I wish I had known. ”
“Would it have made a difference? Would you have snuck me food they hadn’t poisoned and risked your son?”
“They wouldn’t have touched Ethan,” I say without conviction. If they were willing to poison Paloma to abort a baby, there’s no saying what they would do. “I’m sure I could have snuck you some food without them knowing.”
“It wouldn’t have made a difference. I didn’t trust anyone at the time. I even doubted my sisters at one point.”
I brought Ethan to New Earth so we would not only be safe, but free. I take a deep breath and lift my chin. “No matter how horrible some of our leaders are, I still have to go back. My son is there. Can you ask your mate to let me leave?”
The sadness in her eyes gives me my answer. Even if she asks, it’s not going to happen.
If the mate of the orc king can’t help me, then I’m on my own.
“I will talk to Atox, but from everything I’ve heard, I don’t think he’ll let anyone return. For any reason.” Her hand rests on my arm. “I’m sure he can negotiate with Council to bring your son here.”
Fear travels through me at the idea of Ethan among the orcs. It’s been three weeks since I’ve seen my baby, but there’s no way in hell I want him living here.
“Absolutely not! I won’t have him be a pawn for either side in any of their asinine grievances with one another. He’s better off with our people.”
“Tansey—”
“No, Paloma. I’m glad you love your mate, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us want this life here.
” I sweep my hand over the three other women in the cavern.
“They all have family, friends, lives back at the settlement. I don’t deserve special treatment, but I’m not waiting for any either.
I’ll find my own way back, but I need to prevent anyone from tracking me down to stop me. ”
“What if you never make it back to New Earth? ”
“I will. Somehow.” I take her hand in mine. “Please don’t say anything to your husband about my son.”
Paloma nods, looking as uncertain as I feel. I’ve made no progress in figuring out how to return to Ethan. But I sure as hell don’t want him here, learning nothing but how to fight and kill. Or worse, becoming the target of all these orcs who barely tolerate human women…and hate human men.
“Avoka te, Evve,” Paloma says in Orcan. When the little girl skips her way to Paloma’s side, Paloma tugs the child’s long braid. “Evve’s the sweetest thing,” Paloma changes the topic, trying to ease the tension between us. “I hope I have a girl, but I’m sure Atox wants a boy.”
“As long as he, or she, is healthy,” I say, for the first time thinking of her baby as a baby, and not half-human, half-orc.
I guess seeing Paloma smile and full of life, a completely different person from the one who could barely open her eyes in that cell in New Earth, makes me see that life here is not so bad… for those who want it.
Paloma hugs me goodbye and disappears with Evve down the tunnel. I close the door and settle into the furs on my pallet on the floor. A few minutes later, the rest of the women file in, all whispering, as if they’re afraid to make noise or do anything to break the orc rules.
Fuck the rules. Fuck Verig, and not the way he wants. I will figure out how to get back to New Earth.
“Lights out,” Phoebe announces.
“Not all the lights!” Poetry cries out.
She’s afraid of the dark and insists we leave at least one of the light discs on.
They’re round orbs roughly three inches in diameter and placed every three to four feet along the cavern wall with no batteries or obvious source of power, but they provide plenty of light.
Enough that we see every crack and crevice of our new home and can’t possibly forget we’re still prisoners, despite being allowed to go to the surface whenever we want .
“Yes, Poetry, we’ll leave a light on like we do every night,” Phoebe replies, sounding tired and annoyed.
Poor Poetry. She’s the youngest woman here, only nineteen.
Probably still a virgin. Not that having her v-card makes a difference in the end.
We’re all vulnerable to the orcs. But Poetry seems more fragile than most. Hardly talks to anyone and usually spends her days curled up beneath her blanket on her pallet.
Afraid the monsters will come to get us.
I have news for her. They already have. And they’re not letting us go.
Thinking of Ethan keeps me from falling asleep.
From the soft snores throughout the cave, the others are sleeping.
I truly believed the dangers on Earth were worse than anything Ethan and I would encounter on Kovos.
I was wrong. I hope Mary won’t tire of taking care of him.
I told her I’d only be gone an hour. Two, tops.
Besides Paloma, there’s only one other person I might be able to convince to help me leave.
Verig.
If I give him what he wants….
Fuck, no. A long time ago, I swore I’d never sell myself, for any reason.
Except Ethan’s all I have in this universe. I’d do anything for him.
I close my eyes, imagining Verig’s body. He’s a handsome male, despite being orc. Or because of it? I’m not horrified by his tusks as I should be. Or his brusque nature. As long as he doesn’t hurt me, I could tolerate—maybe even enjoy—being with a male like him.
Why the fuck am I even thinking like this?
Because he’s gorgeous.
Hard, well-defined muscles everywhere, and that loincloth that lets the imagination wander…
My nipples harden, and I’m tempted to touch myself to relieve the ache building within me. I haven’t been with a man in a long time. Verig wouldn’t leave me wanting.
I reach below my blanket, into my panties, and let my mind’s eye move over Verig’s chest. Going lower…lower.
A hand clamps down over my mouth, and I’m hauled off my sleeping pallet. I try to fight back, but an arm as hard as steel traps my hands. I dig my heels into flesh, but without shoes on, I’m like a fly to a horse, more annoyance than threat.
“Settle, female,” Baloq’s low voice warns as he drags me out of the women’s quarters.
I bite down on his hand covering my mouth hard enough to draw blood.
“Vekk!” he says too loudly.
Screams erupt around me as the women wake. Thank god for Poetry’s light disc. At least the others can see that I’m being kidnapped. Again.
Out of time, and stealth no longer an issue, Baloq does what orcs do best. He slings me over his shoulder and carries me through the tunnels out of the mountain and into the cover of darkness.
I pray that one of the women will find the courage to alert an orc who cares enough to stop Baloq.