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The little sound is a mistake.
“Who goes there?” demands Verrick’s silky voice, an edge to his tone.
Curses, I forgot about orc hearing. I consider trying to crawl away, but he would probably give chase, thinking me an enemy. Icould speak as bashfully as I am feeling, but that is not really my style.
Instead, I put on a cheerful voice and call, “Not to worry, ‘Tis I, Pellia.”
“Pellia?” he chokes incredulously. “What are you doing out here?”
I am not going to tell him I was relieving myself after sleeping. So a half-truth it is. “I heard a sound and came to investigate it. I didn’t mean to find you . . .like this.”
“You heard a sound and went to investigate byyourself?” His tone is incredulous again and slightly disapproving, neither of which I appreciate.
So I say, “It was only a small sound, and I was very quiet. You wouldn’t have caught me if you were not an orc.”
“So you would have been fine with finding another orc?”
Only if they were as attractive as you, I flirt inwardly. But I know he wouldn’t appreciate such an answer. Alternatively, I state, “Well, I wasn’t to know it was an orc, was I? Or a person of any kind. You could have been a creature, like a deer.”Or a bear, I finish inside lamely. My half-truth is making me sound foolish. Going after a sound by myself really is not the safest of ideas.
Verrick seems to agree with my unspoken thoughts. He says, from a much closer distance, “You should not go off by yourself, Regent Satir. You are an important figure and should be protected at all times.”
He’s right, of course, annoyed as I am with his formality. I turn to tell him so and find that he is standing right beside me. His kilt is back on, dagger strapped to chest, ax on his back. But his skin is still wet, and he lookslickable.
I smile at the thought, enjoying the casual sensuality of my thoughts. I have never really experienced true desire and I find Ilikeit.
Oblivious, Verrick continues his lecture, “There are many manner of creatures in these woods. What if you had happened on a unicorn and it had carried you off to be its bride?”
That makes me laugh. “Unicorns only carry off maidens. Iam in no danger.”
The tall orc looks adorably confused. I explain, “Unicorns like maidens. I have shared a man’s bed before, so they would have no interest in me.”
“Pah,” dismisses Verrick, as if I have said something ridiculous. “A beautiful woman is a beautiful woman.”
Warmed at his praise, I preen on the inside. There is no doubt in my mind that he meant it, but also no doubt that he did not mean to say it. So I don’t call focus to his slip, only storing it for later and say, “Well, in that case, I would scream and you would extricate me from my trouble, I’m sure.”
He frowns, looking surly, and replies, “Unicorns are fast. You would be well away before I could arrive.”
“You would catch it. I have every faith.”
He insists, “No, once a unicorn has its bride, it dances on the wind and is away before anyone can stop it. I would have no chance and you would be taken.”
“Then you would hunt it and me down, I am sure, and take me back. All would be well.”
He begrudgingly agrees, “I would hunt it, but it would be better if you hadn’t been taken in the first place and . . .” He trails off, looking at my smiling face and instantly shutters again, looking irritated. “Are you making jests at my expense?”
I lightly laugh and cautiously reach out a comforting hand to his crossed arms. He does not stop me from touching him, though he focuses down on my hand.
“Ah, Warchief Verrick, I am not making jests. I am teasing, a completely different thing. And you are right, these woods and this journey could be dangerous and I should be more careful. In the future, I promise to go find you or another orc and let them know if I hear anything suspicious without investigating it myself, alright?”
“Finding me should be sufficient,” he murmurs, still staring at my hand. His pupils are a little larger than before, threatening to swallow his already dark eyes.
I smile radiantly. He wants me. I know it. I wonder if hedoes? No matter, I will show him and we will be lovers soon.
“Alright,” I reply, taking my hand back and turning back to the camp. “Just you, then. But, if anything were to happen, remember, I have put my trust in your rescue. You’ll have to come after me.”
And then I walk back to camp, looking forward to the day of traveling next to my soon-to-be lover.
Chapter 8
