Page 59 of X'nath

She stood up, and without a word, I followed her as she made her way toward the edge of the gathering. It needed to be a quick exit, and I could feel something tightening in my chest. I didn’t like the way she was pulling away from me, not when I could feel there was something deeper weighing on her.

As we walked, the other orcs, sensing the shift in the air, began their usual teasing.

"Going somewhere private, X'nath?" Greag called with a knowing grin. "Don't keep her up too late. We wouldn’t want you both to be too tired for tomorrow's hunt."

A few of the others laughed, joining in with exaggerated winks and elbow nudges.

I smirked. "I’ll be sure to save some energy for the rest of you," I shot back, keeping my voice light, though my thoughts were on Gracie’s retreating back.

Karg leaned in. "We all knew it wouldn’t take long for you two to leave the party. After all, who could resist a night with a warrior like you, X’nath?" He chuckled, nudging his mate, Erin, beside him who slapped his chest playfully.

I didn’t rise to their bait. Instead, I gently escorted Gracie back toward her home, my hand brushing the small of her back protectively. The warmth of her body against mine did little to ease the tension brewing inside me.

“Lak’osh?” I asked softly, though my voice held an edge of concern.

She didn’t respond immediately, her gaze firmly fixed ahead. The chatter of the clan behind us faded, but I still heard their teasing echoes, as if they knew, too.

When we reached the door of her home, I paused, giving her a sideways glance. “You don’t have to be alone with whatever’s on your mind. As much as I talk, my ears are just as good as my mouth,” I said with a wink.

I waited for her response, but the silence between us stretched out like a long, awkward pause.

“Gracie,” I prodded, my voice softer now. “You’re making me work harder than a warrior in the heat of battle.”

"I’m fine," she muttered, avoiding my gaze. "Just… a lot on my mind."

I knew better than to press, but the knot in my stomach told me that this wasn’t over yet. "Alright. But don’t think you can hide from the clan forever," I said with a playful grin, my tone light, though my concern was anything but. “One of them is bound to come by food to make sure you have your fill of our spoils from the hunt.”

She gave a small, strained smile, but it did little to calm the unease that was settling deeper within me. As an only child, I had always looked to my parents as the model for what love and companionship should look like. My father’s devotion to my mother was a constant, something I admired greatly. He loved her with a fierceness that never waned, and when I was born, they said their lives only grew richer with the addition of me. But that all changed the day he lost her—on a mission outside the mountains.

I went from witnessing a love that blossomed, to watching my father crumble in her absence. He became a shadow of the man he once was, consumed by grief and anger, taking it out on anyone around him. It was painful to watch, but it taught me something vital. I saw what love could do to a man—the heights it could lift him to and the depths it could drag him down to.

Yet, amidst the pain, I remembered my father’s words: that love was always worth fighting for, even with the looming threat of loss. He never regretted loving my mother, no matter the price. And I knew, deep down, I wouldn’t regret loving Gracie either, no matter what challenges we might face together.

35

Small Victories

X’NATH

Istepped inside Gracie's home. It was cozy but now much too large for a single person to inhabit. But it was her safe place, a sanctuary away from whatever chaos she viewed.

She stood by the window, now draped with a thin fabric that one of the men had managed to trade with a few passing travelers the previous week. Her posture rigid, her eyes averted. I could feel the tension in the air, thick as smoke. Whatever was bothering her, it hadn’t just started tonight. She’d been distant since her arrival here, building a wall between us stone by stone, and it was frustrating. I knew she wasn’t telling me everything, and I hated it. But I knew I had to handle this with care.

“I’ll start a fire,” I said softly, closing the door behind me.

She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes dark with a mix of exhaustion and something I couldn’t quite place. “I’m fine, X’nath,” she said, her voice a little too firm, a little too clipped. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I’m not so easily fooled as you might think,” I replied, stepping further into the room.

I walked over to the small stack of firewood and began to arrange the logs. My fingers worked swiftly, the familiar motions of starting a fire second nature to me. As I struck the flint and steel, the small spark caught the dry wood, and the flames quickly began to grow, flickering and crackling in the hearth. The warmth spread through the room, filling the space with a comforting glow.

Once the fire was steady, I looked over at Gracie, still standing near the edge of the room, her expression unreadable. The fire would do its work, both in the room and on her—there was something soothing about it.

“Now we’ve got some warmth to settle into,” I said softly, brushing off my hands.

Her eyes softened, the familiar look she wore when she was wrestling with herself. I only wished she would let me help her fight whatever demons haunted her.

She moved toward the small table, where a few herbs and books lay scattered. “I’m just tired, that’s all. I think I’m going to rest tonight.”

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