Baloq’s hand moves down my back, skimming along my thin dress. I wish I’d traded in my full-length sundress for the leather sheath dress he offered the night we arrived at Mount Racha. Wearing the thick animal skin, I wouldn’t feel his hands on me.
“Stop touching me,” I snap. “Your neld said you can’t mate me against my will.”
“He didn’t say I can’t touch you.” Baloq’s hand moves up the back and locks around my neck like a dog collar. My skin crawls. Despite being in the fresh air, I can’t breathe when he’s touching me. I fling his arm aside and search for Verig. He’s moved closer, though not much. He’s sitting around a fire with three other unmated orcs, unconcerned that Baloq is touching me.
Green eyes find me, and he bares his tusks at me.
I shudder, unsure if he’s threatening me or…fuck, flirting. I cannot read these orc’s expressions.
I wish the orcs’ king, their grak, would approach so I could ask him how the hell I can get away from Baloq and be placed with another male. Any other male, even Verig. I suck in air. No, not Verig. The way he watches me tells me he’s as dangerous as Baloq. Perhaps more.
Not that I want any of these orcs. My only goal is to find a way out of here.
We’re a full day’s ride from New Earth, through dangerous territory, most of which is patrolled by orcs. Their horses, called gorjas, run faster than any thoroughbred back home. On foot, I’mguessing it would take me at least a week to return to New Earth. If I knew how to get there. Much of the ride here was pitch black, not that it stopped Baloq or his gorja. They have better night vision than humans.
I fast-walk away from Baloq, hoping he’ll give me some breathing space, literally, but like a guard escorting a prisoner to the infirmary, he follows me, maintaining a three-foot distance at all times. None of the other human women out here are that closely guarded by any of the orcs. Does that mean they’ve accepted a new fate and want to be here, or that the orcs they’re with give them more freedom?
They’re sitting together by the fires, eating and talking amongst themselves in whispers. I make eye contact with several of them, women I know from my two months in New Earth, before the night the orcs kidnapped us. Not a single woman calls me over or says a word to me.
I see the fear on their faces now. They don’t want to be here any more than I do. Perhaps they’ve already…mated.
I don’t approach them, since I’m sure nothing good would come of it. Baloq has warned me to stay away from the others, human and orc alike. If I defy him, I’ll jeopardize my exercise period. This is my time to soak in the sunshine, breathe fresh air, and stretch my legs before returning to solitary.
Baloq doesn’t stop me from exploring the area at the base of the mountain. I wander from one area to the next, examining the cooking tables, tanning frames, and especially the weapons repair area. The first chance I get, I’m going to pilfer a weapon. A knife will be easy to hide on my person. Baloq locks his weapons in a trunk each evening before he lies down beside me in bed. Hours and hours, I lie awake, not moving for fear Baloq will do more than touch if I don’t remain alert.
Despite all the workstations at the base of the mountain, it’s what’s missing that stands out most. Women and children. There aren’t many orc females here compared to the number of men.And only a handful of kids. It confirms why they took us. To breed.
I don’t know how many women the orcs took the night I was kidnapped. I’ve counted a maximum of nine out here each night, but I suspect there are more beneath the mountain.
Occasionally, I hear crying in the tunnels, but sound echoes and bounces around down there, making it impossible to know from which branch the crying is coming. Not that my beast of a guard would allow me out of his sight to investigate.
We’ve wandered far from camp, through the woods, when I realize I’m safer with other people around, so I turn around and head back. Except I didn’t mark my path. I could ask my green shadow, but that means talking to him, which I avoid at all costs.
A tingle moves down my spine, as if I’m being watched by more than Baloq.
I hasten my pace, hoping I’m headed in the right direction. It’s too easy to get twisted around beneath the canopy of trees that blocks out much of the sun.
I slam to a halt when I hear a snorting sound.
“Gorjas,” Baloq explains. “Their pen is to the right.”
I turn right and see a set of bright green eyes watching me. Verig. He doesn’t even bother hiding.
He watches me as much as Baloq, but he hasn’t approached me since the day I was kidnapped. Why?
Or rather, why do I care?
I don’t. I care about nothing and no one. Only returning to my Ethan.
I hope he’s not crying himself to sleep without me.
Stop this. He’s fine. Mary will take good care of him.
A chill races down my spine, but not the creepy type as when Baloq curls around me at night and I lie awake, wondering when he’ll progress from grinding against me to…more.
I shudder visibly. Seconds later, Verig is standing before me,his eyes locked on mine and the ridges on his brow scrunched together. Concern?
Baloq growls from behind me.
