“We all share blame for those we lost, but no one takes on more blame than a male who cannot save his mate and younglings. He has not forgiven himself. And I suspect he wishes to avoid endangering others.”
“You mean me and Ethan? He’s never endangered us. Just the opposite.”
“Perspective, Tansey,” Paloma cuts in. “Talk to him.”
“I will. When he returns from Pen’Kesh.” I just hope he’ll listen.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
TANSEY
“Verig, wait,” I say, running after him. He’s been avoiding me all week. He returns late each day from his trip to Pen’Kesh, exhausted and unwilling to speak with me.
This time, I stayed up all night, so I could intercept him before he left for Pen’Kesh, and when he’s fresh from a good night’s sleep.
He doesn’t slow down to listen to me or acknowledge that I’m here, and I can’t keep up with his longer legs as he moves through the tunnels and exits the mountain.
Even when he emerges from the tunnels, he doesn’t slow his pace. Merely heads straight for the gorja pens. When I reach the wooden fence, I stop to catch my breath.
“Why won’t you listen to me? I want to apologize for my actions. For everything. Can’t you stop and listen long enough for that?”
Verig takes his gorja’s reins from Sojek. “I heard you, female. I bear you no ill will. Now, I must go.” His gorja snorts, and he shoots off ahead of the cart.
“Sojek? Can you speak with him?” By now, the entire campknows that Verig and I are a couple or used to be. And things are not going well between us.
When did we even become an ‘us’? When did I decide I’m staying here?
Fuck, I’m not sure I have. I have to think about the type of future Ethan would have here.
I only know I miss Verig. Having the warmth and security of his arms around me, and the way he looks at me, as if I’m a treasure, not a piece of garbage to be flung onto a heap of gorja dung…I can’t throw that away.
“Sojek, please,” I beg, because I’m out of ideas.
“A male of my station does not speak to a warrior of these matters.”
I’m asking an eighteen-year-old boy to be my go-between. That’s pathetic, but I’m desperate.
“You’re right. Just keep him safe,” I say as the young orc turns the cart to follow Verig’s gorja.
“You have it backwards, human. The warrior has been assigned to keep me safe.” Sojek nods respectfully, then cracks the reins on the gorja pulling the cart.
“Please,” I yell after him, though I’m not sure what I’m saying anymore. Only that I’m desperate. And I hate being desperate, but Verig is worth it.
When Sojek slows the cart, I race to catch up. “You have an idea?” I ask.
“Tomorrow, I have another delivery to Pen’Kesh. A load of live animals. Perhaps if you could find a reason to travel with us, our grak might allow it.”
“And I’ll have hours on the road to talk to Verig! That’s perfect! You’re a genius, Sojek.”
One side of his lower lip goes up, flashing a tusk as he snaps the reins and gets the gorja moving again.
Ready or not, Verig, tomorrow, we’re going to talk…
“Why can’t I go?”I ask the orc king in the afternoon. “I can help sell the animals, unload them, feed them, shovel dung. Anything. I’m a hard worker. Tell him, Paloma. Tell him I’ll do anything.”
“Tansey, he can hear you.”
“She’s a pushy female,” Atox says to Paloma, not bothering to whisper. “Verig needs that.”
