“Can you get him away from me permanently, Neld?” I ask quickly, before Baloq warns him off. “Let me be with the other human women? Or at least choose another…” I can’t call Baloq ‘mate’ because that would signify I’ve given in to this horrific situation, and I’ll never do that. “Guard,” I finally finish, because that’s all he is to me.
“Guard? What are you talking about, female? You chose to live with Baloq, in his quarters.”
“Hischoice. Not mine. He never lets me go near anyone else, and he locks me in when he leaves to perform his duties.”
Verig’s nostrils flare. Rage fills his face so quickly that I step back. Before I can say more, he bounds toward Baloq, his hand on one of the many knives he wears strapped across his chest. Orcan words fly at a rapid pace, the males’ voices rising to the point that I’m sure a fight’s about to break out between the two.
It’s the perfect opportunity to run. A week of walking through dangerous territory is one thing, but I have no idea which way to go. I remember a lot of twists and turns through heavily forested terrain and not even the slightest idea of what direction we traveled.
“You were ordered to move the female into the larger quarters, with the other human females,” Verig switches to Common, for my benefit, I suppose. He seems like a fair orc. It’s not as if he let me return to New Earth when he had the chance, though. I’ll never forgive him for that. I’ll never forgive any of them for taking me from Ethan.
“You only ordered that because you want her. She’s mine, Verig. I’ve followed our grak’s orders and haven’t forced her. She will follow my rules and sleep in my quarters. With me.”
Verig punches Baloq in the face, followed by another fist to his belly, before Baloq raises his hands to defend himself. I’mshocked and horrified, but relieved that Verig’s standing up for me. And that he didn’t use one of his many knives. Baloq repulses me, but that doesn’t mean I want to see him dead.
When Baloq sweeps Verig’s legs, toppling him, I quickly change my mind, hoping Verig pulls a knife. I don’t know the male, but he’s the only one trying to protect me from Baloq, though his rank certainly hasn’t deterred Baloq from making me a prisoner.
“Enough!” a male roars, emerging from the woods on a gorja. He slides off and stomps his way over and pushes the orcs apart. I’ve seen this orc twice now. Their king, another massive male, though not quite as tall as Verig. Or as handsome.
What the fuck am I thinking?
“Vekk derrin bunasop human asuka!” their king verbally lashes out at both males.
“Suf, Grak.” Verig stands tall and proud, his lower lip fully curled back as he glares at Baloq.
“Jeva neld sulla tris,” Baloq barks in a tone that makes me inhale sharply. Talking back to one’s king, no matter the language, doesn’t seem like a smart move.
Good. I pray their king locks up Baloq and keeps him away from me.
“Tansey?” a woman says as a small hand lands on my shoulder. I turn swiftly, too swiftly, nearly knocking a very pregnant Paloma over.
“Paloma?” I say, surprised she’s here and looking healthier, sturdy, compared to the last time I saw her, wasting away in a jail cell in New Earth.
I hug her because she’s the only lifeline I have to home. I haven’t been allowed to talk to the other human women since I’ve been here.
“Avuka, huuman,” an orc woman standing behind Paloma says, her words squarely targeting me.
I eye the orc as I release Paloma and step back. The female isa few years older than Paloma, if an orc’s age is comparable to humans. She wears her hair in a long braid down the middle of her back, as most of the female orcs do. Her height makes her almost as intimidating as the males, but it’s that ax dangling at her side that catches my eye. She has a weapon. A serious, no-nonsense weapon. Then I spot a knife sheath on her left. Two weapons. That’s some serious shit in a colony ruled by males.
A female guard.
Despite the serious expression on her face, I’d gladly swap her out with Baloq in a heartbeat.
“I’m sorry they kidnapped you, too,” I say to Paloma as my eyes fall to her very large middle. Proof that humans can conceive with orcs. Proof that they’ll never let me go.
“Oh, Tansey, you’ve been lied to on so many levels. This is my home. My mate rescued me from New Earth. I’m free again.” She points to the orc king standing between Baloq and Verig.
“Your mate is the king?” She’s more screwed than I realized. “You don’t look so free.” I nod toward the female guard behind her.
Paloma motions the woman forward. “This is Ossa. My sister-in-law.” Dark green eyes run down the length of me, and the woman scowls. At least it’s an honest reaction, one I understand. She doesn’t care for me any more than I care for her. I can deal with that. Just another brute among a colony of them.
I’d still take her over Baloq any day of the week.
“Try to be open-minded about this situation, Tansey. The orcs are not bad people. They’re rough around the edges, certainly, but loyal, hardworking, and fair. Though their methods of getting women needs work. A lot of work.”
“You really want to be here?” I ask.
Her hand curves over her swollen belly. “I belong here. Give it time. You’ll see we’re better off here than in New Earth. Their grak, my mate Atox, is trying to improve life here for everyone,human women included. He considers us orc as much as those born orc.”
