Page 38 of Stealing the Troll’s Heart

I know exactly what kind of dad Raz’jin is going to be, that’s for sure.

But I worry the whole journey back to Culberra about what this means for us, for me, and for this little creature growing inside me. I have nightmares that it comes out a monster, deformed and broken. But nature would never let that happen, right?

Once I’m in the city, I inquire around all of Deleran’s favorite watering holes. Someone points me to his room at the inn. Just before I knock on the door, I pause my hand. What will he do, say, and think when he sees me?

I drop my hand to my side. He helped Raz and I before, but I don’t know how far that grace extends.

“Tea?”

I turn around to find Deleran in the hallway, holding his key out. He’s hugging me before he can even get a good look at me. “You’re back!” he says buoyantly, sweeping me up into the air.

“Wait,” I say. “Put me down.” Everything is sloshing around inside me, and it makes me feel sick.

“Huh?” When he drops me to my feet, he takes in the state of me, and his eyes go wider than I’ve ever seen them. “This can’t be real.”

“It is.”

He wipes his forehead. “You’ve always been a freak. Now you’re a freak of nature, too.” But I can hear the little sprinkle of affection in his voice as he says it. “Why don’t I buy you something to eat, since you’re eating for two now?”

I’m surprised by his offer, but pleasantly so. When we sit down together, Deleran wants to know what happened after the last time I saw him. But the longer I talk, the sadder his expression gets. I feel like all I’m doing is driving the needle in deeper and twisting it around.

“I’m happy for you,” Deleran says, forcing out a big smile. “You found what you wanted after all.”

“I hope you can find what you want, too,” I say. He just watches me, head propped up on one elbow, the resignation clear on his face.

“Yeah,” he says, but the word is empty. “Me, too.” I feel ashamed for coming to visit him at all, knowing how he still holds a candle for me. But then Deleran says, “I’m glad I got to see you. I’m glad that you found him again.”

“Thank you.” When we get up after our meal, he studies me.

“Can I touch it?” I’m surprised that he’s asking, but I nod, and he reaches out to run his hand over my swollen belly. “Wow. I didn’t think it was possible. Are you going to be okay?”

“I hope so.” That’s all I can do, anyway, is hope.

“Take care of yourself, Tea.” He smiles forlornly. “Maybe I should find some lady orc of my own, huh?”

“If you’re into that kind of thing.” The thought of a big orcess pushing him down and having her way with him does make me giggle a little. “You might like it.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Thanks for everything,” I tell him. And I mean it. Without Deleran, we might never have made it. But when we hug goodbye, I think it’s probably the last time I’ll ever see him.

Raz’jin

It’s a pretty awkward reunion when the shop owner returns and I’m, well, living in his shop. But after some hurried explanations and a look around at all of Telise’s wares, old Sden seems to accept that I’m telling the truth.

“Weird shit,” I hear him mumble. “Well, you all had better look for a new place to live.”

He’s doubly shocked when Telise returns home, full to bursting. I’m a little concerned at how big it’s grown and how quickly.

“On second thought,” Sden says, “maybe you should stay for a while.”

He makes us comfortable in the back of the shop, and I help out as much as I can. Telise is able to earn our keep for the most part, until she starts to hurt. There’s no position she can lie in that doesn’t feel deeply uncomfortable, and I’m starting to get worried.

Scratch that—I’m terribly worried, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

There are healers who pass through from time to time, and I wait every day on the pier for someone to arrive. When an old human woman gets off the boat in a healer’s cloak, I jingle some coins, and bring her as fast as I can to Telise’s side.

She looks between us with an expression I’ve gotten quite familiar with, landing somewhere between shock and horror.She points at me, and rattles off some Freysian to Telise, who just nods in return.

---