Page 10

Ruugar

“ I ’ll…” I didn’t know what to say about that.

She wouldn’t lie about something like this, would she? I’d seen the fear in her eyes when she spoke of Bradley and her father, heard the desperation in her voice. She’d know if she needed medicine. I wouldn’t believe anything else.

“I’ll keep an eye out for her,” I said.

“I’m going to ride in widening circles once my muffins and scones are out of the oven. See if I can find her.” Everything Sel made tasted amazing. Even though he’d hire someone to help him soon, I had to wonder if they’d make anything as good as him.

If Bradley and her father had spread the word that she was sick, that she needed medicine, the entire community would be determined to track her down. It was even more important that I not only hide that she was with me, but that I got her out of Lonesome Creek as soon as I could .

“Good idea.” I strode away from him. I leaped up onto my sorhox, Ebar, and nudged his sides, urging him to pick up his pace and take me out of town. As we moved away from the saloon, I tried to ignore the feel of Sel watching my back and hoped there wasn’t confusion or speculation on his face.

Ebar’s hooves pounded against the dirt as I urged him faster, the dry wind whipping across my face. My mind churned, looping back to Sel’s words.

Sick. Needs medicine. The longer she goes without it, the sicker she’ll be.

Beth hadn’t mentioned anything about needing something like that.

She looked strong. Healthy. Still, the seed of worry had been planted.

Had she withheld that information or was this a trick?

Bradley and that man who called himself her father believed they owned her.

They wanted her back. Would they say anything to keep people searching?

Anger burned through me at the thought. It didn’t matter.

Even if she was sick, even if she did need medicine, I'd help her.

We'd get the medicine, and she wouldn't go back with them, because she didn't want to. That was enough for me. But I wouldn’t take their word for it. I’d ask her. I’d make sure she was well, make sure she had everything she needed.

Seeing the barn ahead, Ebar picked up his pace, and I pressed my knees into his sides. Orcs relied on foot pressure to guide their mounts, not human saddles and harnesses. Ebar flicked an ear back toward me in question.

“Sorry,” I said, easing the pressure. My thoughts were a mess, but I had to stay focused. Beth needed me to be strong for her.

The ranch house came into view as I crested the last hill.

Simple, sturdy, built quickly after my brothers and I settled here.

One bedroom, but only Sel had two. Our initial thought was to construct places with more room but we soon realized that bachelor orcs only needed one bedroom homes for now. We could expand them later.

Nothing compared to the grand places humans called homes, but it was mine. For now, it was Beth’s too.

Ebar slowed as I pulled him to a stop in front of the barn. A quick glance around eased a fraction of the tension in my chest. No tracks near the door meant no one had come looking. As far as I could tell, Beth had stayed put.

The crow friends still pecked away at the food. If strangers had come by, they’d be on the barn roof, cawing.

I dismounted but left Ebar standing in front of the barn. As soon as Beth had packed, we'd have to leave for town. I needed to be there before our guests started to arrive. Dungar would take care of their mounts and meet me in front of the saloon that rented rooms to tourists on the second floor.

The screen door slapped shut behind me as I stepped inside my kitchen with the bag of clothing in hand.

Beth stood in the hall shadows, staring in my direction. Her shoulders loosened when she saw it was me.

“You're back,” she whispered .

“All set.” I placed the bag of clothing on the table as she joined me. “Everything alright here?”

“Yes.” She added a nod. “I did the dishes and tidied up.”

“Thank you.”

“Did anyone in town say anything?” Her voice wavered. “Did they question why you were buying clothing in such a small size?”

“My aunt was curious, but I told her that I'd hired a young male, that he didn't have much clothing with him.” I fed her a half-smile. “She wants to meet you when we get back. If I know my aunt, she'll be offering to fix you up through her and Grannie Lil's new dating app before you know it.”

Beth's face pinkened. “No dating for me. I don't ever want to get married.”

That made my smile fade fast. My heart faded along with it. “I understand.” Sort of.

Not really.

No mate, ever?

“Anyway.” I struggled to keep the conversation going. “No one suspects you’re here.”

She let out a slow breath and closed her eyes for a second. A trace of tension stayed in her shoulders, but she nodded.

I took in her face, her stance. No sign of illness. No weakness or sluggishness. She looked too alive. Not like someone wasting away without medicine.

Say it. Just ask.

Instead, I gestured at the bag. “Those are for you. ”

“Oh.” Lifting the bag, she peered into the top. “This is a lot. You didn’t have to?—”

“You’ll need a variety of things to wear. There's no laundry where we're going.”

“Oh, right. What about bathrooms? Showers?”

“We built those. The tourists won't rough it.”

“Yes, roughing it.” Her frown only deepened. “You said we'll be gone for a week. I can wear things a few times and wash out what I need to in the bathroom.”

“There’s enough. You won’t need to do that.”

“Except underwear. I need to keep my mam mound covers.” Her eyes sparkled. She wasn’t laughing, was she? Nah, she was just discussing her body parts.

“We don’t have anything like that.”

“As I said, I can wash them. I brought a few pairs of each.” She rummaged through the bag, pulling the pants out first. She held a pair up to her waist, tilting her head.

“Not bad. You guessed well.” Then the shirts of the T, plus a few with sleeves.

And a loose-fitting one with silver buttons and a cowboy-style yoke.

Her snort rang out. “I feel like I’m about to join a Wild West show. ”

I shifted my boots on the floor, not sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

Beth smiled, shaking her head. “It works.”

Relief settled in my chest, far too deep and warm for something as simple as her liking what I’d purchased for her.

I swallowed against the ridiculous hope pressing up my throat.

It didn’t matter if she looked perfect in everything, or if every part of me wanted to tell her I was sure she would.

Words like that would not be welcome from me, not when she’d been running to escape being trapped with a male.

“I think you look wonderful, Beth.”

It slipped out before I could stop it. The truth of it was raw and too easy to say. It was a mistake. But she smiled, and my heart lurched like a fool’s, already chasing something it couldn’t have. I wanted to freeze this moment. Keep it with me for when she was gone.

Because she would be gone. In a few short weeks. I couldn’t let myself forget that.

I could ask her if she’d ever consider staying in Lonesome Creek. I could tell her what I felt. But I wouldn’t. Because she'd already spent her entire life being pushed into doing things she didn’t want, and I refused to be another man forcing her to do anything.

I’d never tell her. Even if everything in me pulled toward her, I would never give her another reason to feel trapped. She'd already had too many chains wrapped around her life. I wouldn't be another.

“I look wonderful?” she said, looking down. “I’m not sure about that.”

“Beautiful.” Amazing. I’d never feel the same about anyone else.

Color rose into her cheeks, and she dragged her gaze from mine, as she should. “That’s sweet of you to say, Ruugar. Thank you.”

To keep from howling from the turmoil churning through my chest, I retrieved a pack from my closet and placed it beside the bag of clothing. “For your things.”

She reached across the table for the pack, and for a stupid, foolish second, my fingers nearly brushed hers—almost an accident. Almost not. I jerked my hand back, my pulse pounding a wild rhythm in my throat.

She studied me like she could read the cluttered mess in my head. I hoped not. Even that would settle another weight on her shoulders, so I couldn’t tell her how much I wanted to sit with her. Hold her hand. Kiss her.

I clenched my jaw, but it had to be said. It was now or never.

“Are you sick?” I blurted out.

Beth froze before she squared her shoulders. “Why would you ask that?”

“They’re saying you are.”

Her fingers tightened around the pack. “Bradley and my father, you mean.”

“They told everyone that you need medicine, that you’ll get worse without it.”

For a second, she only stared at the things I'd purchased for her in town. Her breath left her in a whoosh. “That lying—” She huffed. “Of course they would say something like that. They'll lie to get people on their side.”

I searched her face for any hint of deception. I'd swear that she wasn’t hiding anything. She was angry. Deeply, quietly furious.

“You believe them?” she asked, her voice softer now.

“No, not really.”

“Not even a little?”

“I was frightened for you. Worried. But I didn't think you'd lie about something like that. ”