As if Evve understands she’s not supposed to be listening to this part, she runs down the tunnel, which I suddenly realize leads to the women’s quarters. I was so caught up in my worries about Verig that I didn’t realize Paloma was walking me back before going to her own quarters. I guess she understands my worries more than I give her credit for.
Evve opens the door and peeks inside at the three women, the few who never leave this room except to use the bathrooms two tunnels over. The others always bring back food and drink for them. “Many human females. Mate warriors,” Evve says.
“You’re right. I need to watch what I say,” Paloma says. “Evve has picked up more Common than I realized. Fabulous!”
“Fabulous?”
“Atox wants to bring the bantarans here to install language chips in all the human women, so everyone can communicate easier. All the warriors have chips, but none of the orc women, kids, or non-warrior males have them. The chips are expensive. If the kids are learning Common on their own, that will help. Now, back to this problem with Verig.”
“He’s more of an obstacle slowing me down from solving the real problem, which is escaping here. I need to get back to our colony.”
“You haven’t given the orcs a chance yet.”
“I have a son back in New Earth. I left him with a friend for a few hours while I went to the main part of the settlement to return a book I borrowed from Holly. I’m sure Ethan’s fine, but I’m his mother, Paloma. I won’t let anyone or anything keep me from him.”
I twist my hands as the lack of any communication with NewEarth eats away at me. Mary’s a good mother, and Ethan and her little boy James get along great, but Ethan has to be confused about why I never came home. I refuse to lose Ethan again.
“Tansey!” Paloma says. “I had no idea you had a child. Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“Hell, Paloma. I can’t let the orcs know I have a son. They’ll use him against me!”
“That’s where you’re wrong. They value children more than the people of New Earth do.”
She has a point. While there are so few children here, they are well cared for and happy.
“You never said anything about him before, even when we met in New Earth.”
A strangled laugh escapes me. “You were in a prison cell, Paloma. I’d never met you before, and the councilman who assigned me to deliver your trays said you were a traitor, that you’d sold us out to the orcs, giving them vital defense intel. I was there to deliver your meals under strict orders not to talk to you.”
“But you did talk to me. Why?”
“You were in bad shape. You weren’t eating, and you barely spoke. Traitor or not, you didn’t deserve to die. I tried to keep your spirits up, to coax you to eat.”
“I wasn’t in a good place, physically or mentally. I believed Atox was dead and Council was poisoning my food to cause me to miscarry.”
Her words shock me, until I recall the whispering in the kitchens when I picked up her trays. A councilman who never worked there showed up in the prep area every time they put a tray together for her. He always insisted on inspecting the tray personally. He could have slipped anything into her food or drink. “I didn’t know.”
“Of course not. And I didn’t have the energy to convince you.”
“I wish I had known.”
“Would it have made a difference? Would you have snuck me food they hadn’t poisoned and risked your son?”
“They wouldn’t have touched Ethan,” I say without conviction. If they were willing to poison Paloma to abort a baby, there’s no saying what they would do. “I’m sure I could have snuck you some food without them knowing.”
“It wouldn’t have made a difference. I didn’t trust anyone at the time. I even doubted my sisters at one point.”
I brought Ethan to New Earth so we would not only be safe, but free. I take a deep breath and lift my chin. “No matter how horrible some of our leaders are, I still have to go back. My son is there. Can you ask your mate to let me leave?”
The sadness in her eyes gives me my answer. Even if she asks, it’s not going to happen.
If the mate of the orc king can’t help me, then I’m on my own.
“I will talk to Atox, but from everything I’ve heard, I don’t think he’ll let anyone return. For any reason.” Her hand rests on my arm. “I’m sure he can negotiate with Council to bring your son here.”
Fear travels through me at the idea of Ethan among the orcs. It’s been three weeks since I’ve seen my baby, but there’s no way in hell I want him living here.
“Absolutely not! I won’t have him be a pawn for either side in any of their asinine grievances with one another. He’s better off with our people.”
