Page 47 of The Orc's Thief
“All right, all right.” Arlon rubs the back of his neck, then lets out a long exhale that steams in the morning air. “I was restless at our house. Marut and Violet—those are my friends from the clan—arrived with their little ones in tow, and all I could think was how much I want that too.”
Something that feels worryingly like sadness curls through me at his words. If he wants a wife and children, what is he doing following me through the wilderness? I want to demand that he stop, but he’s staring ahead now, not focused on me.
“I felt the need to leave,” he goes on. “As if the Fates were telling me it was time to move, but I was too stubborn to listen. So they sent along Marut’s family to push me out of the comfort of the house. The room at the Heron was only ever going to be a temporary fix. I was set on leaving, but I didn’t know which way to go.” He turns his dark gaze on me. “Until I was robbed by a crafty thief and met my mate, that is.”
I don’t know what to say to that. The way he’s talking about me…
“My life lacked all direction,” he adds quietly. “The moment I met you, I found my true north again.”
Chapter
Seventeen
ARLON
Tessa stares at me, her eyes wide. In the crisp morning light, I notice they’re not a plain brown, like I first thought, but hazel, lichen-green with a starburst of brown in the center. The more time I spend with her, the more beautiful I find her, as if the Fates are binding us more tightly with every breath we share.
If only I could be certain she feels the same.
But her scent sharpens with nervousness at my confession, and I realize once again that I may have gone too far, too fast. She’s on the run, scared for her life, and I’m here spilling romantic nonsense.
So I pull back and rub my palms on my pants as if I hadn’t just bared my heart to her. “My turn, then. Where are you from?”
She jerks in her saddle, her hands twitching on the reins. Her mare tosses her head in mild protest, and Tessa leans forward to pat her neck in apology.
“I’m from Redport,” she says, not meeting my gaze. “The city proper, not just the duchy. My father was a merchant. He owned several ships.”
I blink, surprised. That’s not the answer I expected. From how at ease she was on Ultrup’s rooftops, I’d assumed she was native to that city, but Redport is hundreds of miles away, on the southern edge of the continent. I want to ask about her family, but I’ve already used my one question. So I watch her in silence, hoping she’ll offer more.
Tessa catches me watching and rolls her eyes. “You’re wondering how I became a thief if my father was a rich man, aren’t you?”
Iwaswondering that, but more than anything, I want to know how she came to be so utterly alone. I nod anyway. It seems the best way to keep her talking.
“There’s no tragedy in my past,” she says, eyes fixed on the forest ahead. “As far as I know, my parents are still alive and well, living in luxury. I made a choice they didn’t agree with, so they no longer count me as one of their children.”
Damn it. Now I have a dozen new questions. From what she said, I can guess she has siblings. But are they still in Redport? Is she in contact with any of them? Probably not—she’s said she hasn’t received a letter in years.
“Don’t,” she snaps suddenly.
I frown. “Don’t what?”
“I don’t need your pity.” Tessa nudges her mare into a faster gait. “I’m not some stray kitten for you to rescue.”
I swallow the words that rise in my throat. I don’t pity her, but I do want to protect her. No matter what decision she made, her family shouldn’t have turned their backs on her.
“It’s your turn now.” My voice comes out rougher than I intended, despite my efforts to stay calm. “Ask your questions, Tessa.”
She studies me for a long moment, as if trying to understand why I’m not pressing for more. But I know better than to push.Life has taught her to trust no one but herself. It’ll take time for her to lower those walls. I can wait.
She lets out a breath and loosens her grip on the reins. “Fine. You said you’ve been searching for your mate. Why stay in Ultrup, then? Did you want a human mate, specifically?”
Ah, she’s sneaking in two questions for the price of one. Clever. But I don’t mind. As long as she’s asking questions, she’s engaging, and that’s enough for now.
“I didn’t know what kind of mate the Fates would give me,” I say honestly. “All I knew was that no one from the Bellhaven Clan was right for me, and I wasn’t right for any of them, either. It’s hard to explain. But I knew she wasn’t there. When I traveled to Ultrup, I saw a chance for work and figured I might as well search while I was there. It’s a big city—better odds of finding her.”
“You could have gone to another orc clan, though.”
She watches me with genuine curiosity, her eyebrows raised. I have to admire her craftiness. She’s prompting me to tell her more without asking another question.
