Page 16 of Orc's Promise
I scan the area, that sense of being watched as strong as ever. “He’s here, watching me.”
Paloma looks around. “I don’t see Verig, but Kodex iswatching you.” She nods to the skinning area. Sure enough, the warrior is standing there, doing nothing except watching. It’s not like we’re sitting on the edge of the woods either, where there’s always the possibility that some wild animal might strike. We’re smack dab in the middle of camp, where it’s safe.
“I guess Verig’s off somewhere working and couldn’t waste his time stalking you, so he assigned the job to another,” she jokes.
“Not funny. That’s exactly what he’s doing. It’s how he’s always able to find me so easily. He cornered me in the tunnel, leaving the bathroom more than once.”
“Maybe he needed to use the facilities.”
“All these people, and I happen to run into him in the same tunnel twice in two days?”
“You’re on the same pee schedule.”
“That’s not a thing. But each time, I passed one of his warriors on my way to the bathroom. Five minutes later, on my way out, there he was. Waiting for me.”
Paloma lifts a brow, less amused than earlier. “What did he say?”
“Nothing. Not a damn word. He just watched me.” My jaw tenses. “That’s right, he did say one thing beneath his breath. Mine.”
“That’s…interesting.”
“Interesting?” My voice climbs high in disbelief. “He’s stalking me. Except he’s developed an entire network, using his men to keep track of me. Verig im Stalker, Inc.”
Paloma laughs, then quickly covers her mouth, trying to squelch her laughter. “I’m sorry, but I like how you morphed his title from im Neld to im Stalker. The word im means ‘the’ in Orcan.”
“I’m not here for a language lesson, Paloma!”
She shrugs. “Okay. Yes, it’s possible he’s stalking you, but you have to look at it from an Orc’s perspective.”
“And that is what? He wants to get laid?”
She rolls her eyes. “Show me a guy who doesn’t want that. Look, Tansey, all I can say is that Atox trusts Verig implicitly. And I’ve never seen any indication that Verig would harm a woman. He’s probably watching over you to make sure none of the other males pulls the same shit as Baloq.” As she rises, she hands her plate to Evve, who runs off with it to the cleaning station.
“It’s only a matter of time before Verig catches me alone somewhere.”
“Weren’t you alone near the bathrooms?”
“For a few minutes, but that’s a high-traffic area.”
Evve rejoins us as we walk to the tunnels. Paloma’s heading back to rest. If I go with her, eventually I’ll have to walk through the tunnels alone, but I don’t want to lose this chance to talk with her.
“I’m telling you, this is how the orcs talk, nothing more,” she says with a casual wave of her hand. “All dominant and possessive. Even the women. Sorry, not you, Evve,” she says, cupping her hand over the back of Evve’s head. “I was thinking about your mom.”
“That woman doesn’t take sh—manure from anyone,” I admit.
“Orcs are very…determined, I guess is the word. When they see something they want, they go after it. Hard, but that doesn’t mean you don’t get a say. They can be reasonable…if you push past all the stubbornness. Honestly, Tansey, I don’t think you have anything to worry about with Verig. Make it clear what you want.” She bites her lip. “Though you may have to shout to be heard. Orc males aren’t the best listeners unless it has to do with weapons, patrols, fighting, and all that alpha male sh—manure.” Her smile eases my mind.
“I gathered as much. Thick heads.”
Paloma’s eyes go wide, and she whispers, “You slept with him?”
Precisely what I didn’t want to think about…how big Verig is! I’ve seen that loincloth of his tent on several occasions.
“Not that head. Get your mind out of the gutter,” I scold.
Paloma opens her arms wide, showing off her belly. “Hello. Pregnancy hormones. My head now lives in the gutter. And Atox’s head lives in my?—”
I clamp my hand over her mouth. “Child present.”
