Page 59 of Orc's Desire

“Muda, do as I say,” Dilacs growls.

Muda crosses his arms over his chest which he puffs out in defiance. He opens his mouth to say something, probably some further protest, but before his words emerge the clanging sound of an alarm fills the air.

“Gada,” Dilacs curses and already I hear the sounds of shod feet pounding down the hall outside the door. “Now!”

He doesn’t brook further argument, grabbing Muda and dropping him into the hole. Muda yelps as he drops but I don’t hear a splash. I don’t know if that is because the alarms are loud enough to cover it or if Khiara caught him.

Dilacs stretches his arm to me and at the same time someone pushes against the door. It bangs against the rack. Shouts arise and I hear more running feet. I don’t hesitate a second longer, running across the small space to Dilacs.

I drop onto my ass, shove my legs into the hole then look at him. We lock eyes and for a moment time stops. There is only the two of us in this little bubble. The fire in his eyes is tinged with fear, but what else can either of us feel in this moment?

“I love you,” I mouth the words.

“My dragoste,” he whispers, then I slide over the edge and drop, trusting him to catch me and keep me from falling too fast.

He yelps, grabs for my arm, misses, but gets a grip on my shoulder right before I land in Khiara’s outstretched arms. He dips with my weight then lowers me to my feet with a grunt. I move out of the way and look up, waiting for Dilacs to drop through but he doesn’t.

Dilacs gorgeous green face with his heavy-lidded eyes stares down on me like some angel looking down from the skies. He smiles and it ignites the fire in my heart.

“Come on,” I yell. I can hear them banging on the door and the rack scraping across the floor. It won’t be long before they’re through.

“Go,” he says. “Take care of my dragoste.”

“No!” I yell, but he disappears and Khiara sweeps me off my feet and takes off.

34

GWENETH

“No, we have to help!” I struggle to get free of Khiara’s grip but there is no way that’s happening.

I do slip but he throws me up and over his shoulder then puts his arm over my waist, locking me into place. I continue to fight as I’m bouncing up and down. Stinky water splashes onto us but nothing is slowing Khiara.

“Stop,” he growls when I manage to kick him in the face.

“He’s alone! We have to help,” I scream with so much force the words tear at my throat as they emerge.

“No,” Khiara barks. “Left, my Queen.”

Rani doesn’t argue or if she does, I don’t hear her. My heart is breaking knowing I left Dilacs behind with who knows how many guards. There is no stopping the tears and I don’t want to. I quit fighting, collapsing over Khiara’s shoulder. This has to be hurting him every bit as much as me. It is, after all, his brother we’re leaving behind.

The alarms echoing fades more the further we go. Becoming more distant even as Dilacs is left behind. The smell, the grief, all of it is overwhelming and there is nothing I can do about it. It isn’t long before the darkness lessens then there is light. Khiara comes to a halt and lifts me up then sets me onto my own feet. He grips my shoulders, staring for a long moment, then he grunts and shakes his head.

“He will be fine,” he says.

“You don’t know that,” I whisper.

“He will,” he says, and his voice is every bit as tight as my own.

He walks past and I turn to see a massive opening covered with bars. Two of the bars are missing in the middle. Muda dashes through the opening and looks around quickly before darting back inside with us.

“It’s clear,” he says, huffing heavily.

“Good,” Khiara says, looking around.

“Where will we go now?” Rani asks.

Khiara doesn’t answer with words, only a growl, but it says all that needs to be said. He has no idea. The ringing of the alarm bells is distant but hasn’t stopped. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing for Dilacs.

---