“Then we will tell her visiting the gorjas is necessary as part of your warrior training,” he whispers, though loud enough I can still hear him. My heart thumps harder for this male.
“Ethan?” I finally call out, making my presence known.
Ethan’s head rises. “Mommy!” He runs into my arms, and I hug him so tightly I’m sure I’m crushing him. When I let go, I’m ready to scold him, but I can’t bring myself to do it. He’s safe, and Verig’s already talked to him, in a way that I hope got through to him. I’ll speak with him later, after I’ve calmed down.
“I was so worried,” I say, hugging him again.
“I’m sorry I snuck into the cart when you and Sojek were chasing the tumek.”
“We will talk about this when we get home.” Gee, I’ve never referred to the orc settlement as home. I wonder if I’m confusing Ethan, making him think we’re returning to New Earth.
Or even if I want that anymore.
After I hand Brownie to Ethan, who kisses and hugs his stuffed animal almost as hard as he hugged me, I look at Verig, who’s standing there straight-faced, unreadable. I’ve said something wrong, but I’m not sure what. That’s when I notice the blood on his arm.
“It’s a scratch,” he says, when my eyes widen at the sight.
I nod. “Thank you. For finding Ethan. How did you find him?”
“I thought he might follow the scent of the animals. He has a fascination with the gorjas back home.”
“Home?” I wonder if he knows what I was thinking.
“Mount Racha.” Verig steps closer to me. “That is our home, Tansey.”
“It’s your home,” I say out of reflex, though I’m not sure where home is these days.
Verig’s finger strokes my cheek. “My home. And yours. Even if you do not forgive me, Mount Racha is your home now. You and Ethan must accept this.”
“I forgive you,” I say, meaning it, but I’m not ready to accept the orcs as my people. “Was anyone hurt?” I change the subject. Verig got away with only a scratch, but I know what I heard when I left. The sounds of flesh being torn apart. “I know some of those men.”
He takes a substantial step toward me. “I do only what is necessary.”
I’m not sure if he’s talking about what happened with the men who attacked him or about taking Ethan from New Earth. “You can’t fix everything, Verig.”
“What does that mean?”
“You need to forgive yourself for what happened to your wife and child. It wasn’t your fault.”
His face drains of its prior warmth. “Their safety was my responsibility.”
When he turns to walk away from me, I grab his arm. “Some things are beyond our control. You need to stop punishing yourself.” He stares at me long enough that I think he’s going to tell me to mind my own business, but he doesn’t.
“I don’t know how,” he confesses in a soft voice.
I slip my hand into his. He raises our clasped hands and then looks at me. “You’ve forgiven me?”
“Yes.”
“And yet you seem conflicted.”
I don’t know what to do about my future, or even if I have a choice. I worry about Ethan. Verig’s wonderful with him, but he’s only one orc out of thousands…all of whom look down on humans, human males in particular. What type of future would he have among the orcs?
“It’s been a long day, and we’ve kept Sojek from delivering the tumek. I think we should finish up and return…to Mount Racha.” I almost said home, which would be an admission of sorts to Verig. Saying it to Ethan is one thing, but Verig…I’m not ready to give up on New Earth. Ethan has to be my priority. I have to do what’s best for him.
“I didn’t tie the tumek to a tree. They’ve likely scattered,” Sojek says, his lower lip riding high on his tusks. “Or have been stolen.”
Verig squeezes Sojek’s shoulder. “Come. We will look for them. If we cannot find them, then I will explain to our grak that you followed my orders.”
