Page 52 of Orc's Possession
“Then keeping her here is wrong. Let her return to them.”
“Wrong or not, we have little choice. We need more females.”
And Iwantthis one…
PALOMA
Atox carriesme in his arms through the dim tunnels to his chambers. Oddly enough, I’m relieved to be alone with him. I don’t have the ability to face Ossa’s anger right now. Not with the memory of that lake monster dragging me under so fresh in my mind.
I used to think of Atox as the monster, but he rescued me. Now, he carries me with genuine care.
“I like this view much better than when I’m over your shoulder,” I say. I should be thanking him for saving me, but I don’t want to talk or think about the lake.
“You didn’t like staring at my ass?” he asks, his voice lighter, softer, than usual.
“Did you make a joke, Atox?”
“Graks don’t joke.”
“Ah, but you’re a warrior first, then a grak.” I hesitate, then add, “And then a mate.”
“So you do listen, female.”
“Why won’t you use my name? Do you hate it because it’s a human name or is it because you can’t think of me as a person?”
“You once called yourself a broodmare, Paloma. I call you female, mate, but never broodmare or slave.” He opens the door to his chambers. “Ves,” he calls out and the lights flick on.
“Vesturns the lights on?”
“Tak.”
“And that must mean yes,” I conclude.
“You now know two words of my language. Proof that you can learn, if you wish it.”
The way he says that, with kindness and…. encouragement, it’s almost like he’saskingme to stay.
“You may have been right about me,” I reply, wondering if all this time, his insistence on obeying him, has been his way of teaching me that my survival here depends on my attitude, on my willingness to learn.
“I am usually right,” he says, in his normal, self-assured manner that I don’t find quite so offensive at the moment. Atox tilts his head. “But what are you referring to precisely, female?”
“I don’t have anywhere to go. I planned on escaping in the back of the cart, but my people don’t want me.”
Saying the words out loud for the first time makes that sad fact real. But why confess all of this to Atox?
I look at his face. There’s no anger there, not for me. It’s as if he genuinely wants to understand me better.
That’s when I realize at some point I started trusting him. But I still can’t predict what he’ll do in any given situation. Revealing too much to him isn’t wise, not until I know what I’m going to do.
“Continue,” he orders as he sets me on my feet and unlaces the top of my soaked tunic.
I should push him away and do it myself, but I’m so fucking tired. Running, fighting that lake monster, nearly drowning, and all the damn fear from the past hour has utterly drained me.
Slowly, Atox peels the drenched leather off of me. He’s treating me as if I am fragile. I guess compared to orcs, I am.
“Keep your arms up, female.”
“I have to untie my belt,” I say, unknotting the leather. Slowly, I drag my eyes up to Atox. “I lost your knife in the lake.”
