Page 31 of Orc's Forbidden Claim
“What did you find?” Sek’su asks.
“A way,” I say. “Come.”
I could go into details but there is no point. Anything I say from this point on would only serve to scare the females and I would protect Saylor from ever feeling fear.
“I’ll bring up the rear,” Sek’su says.
“No,” I say. “The way behind is blocked. You walk behind me.”
Marching order set, we move into the tunnels.
21
SAYLOR
“What did you say to him?” I ask Wren.
I whisper even though I’m speaking Common and neither of the boys understand it. Or I don’t think they do, but it feels appropriate anyway. Both because I don’t want them listening in but also because it’s so freaking dark that Wren is little more than a darker shape in the darkness.
“Hmm?” she makes a musing sound. “Say? Oh. Nothing. Nothing at all.”
I grit my teeth knowing very well she is lying to me. Any other time I would argue with her, demand she tell me, but all of that would be noisy.
“Wren,” I say, hissing her name.
I can see her turn her head to me and I can also assume there is a wide smile on her face even though I cannot see it. I know her and I know how she handles things like this. When I’m angry or frustrated she is an expert in deflecting and redirecting.
“All I said is that if he hurts you, I’ll kill him,” she says softly.
That stuns me. I blink rapidly as if it’s going to do me any good at all. Did Wren say that? To Khiara? What does she think she’s going to do to even hurt him? He’s two, almost three times as big as her. Both of us together wouldn’t pose an issue for him to overpower.
But all those thoughts aside, a warmth fills my guts and spreads through my limbs. She said that. To him. And most importantly she said it for me.
“Oh,” I murmur, feeling grateful. “Uhm. Thank you?”
It unintentionally comes out as a question and Wren giggles. Her giggle makes me laugh too. I stop that as quickly as I can before I begin snorting. Gods above I don’t ever want to do that in front of Khiara. I would literally die if he heard me snorting like some kind of animal. Ugh, I hate it when I do that.
“We need to talk about what happens when we get back,” she says, returning to the earlier subject.
“Heh,” I say, not wanting to tackle it. “Don’t we have enough on our plates?”
“Walking?” she rightly points out.
“Walking, yes,” I say, still wanting to avoid the entire thing.
Thanks to the near-total darkness her hand on my shoulder startles me because I don’t see it coming. I jump at her touch, but then realizing it’s her, I relax.
“Say,” she says. “You know we have to handle this. Better yet, we can. I’ve already broken the ice with Sek’su.”
“Sure, but…” I trail off, staring ahead at Khiara’s hulking shadow.
“But?” she asks.
“I mean, he’s Zmaj. That’s easier.”
“Is it?” she asks. “I didn’t notice. It got pretty hairy, and I thought I was throwing it all away.”
“I know,” I agree in a whisper. “I was there.”
