Page 9 of Orc's Desire

Khiara looks all around us, including inspecting the rooftops, then stops. When his eyes land on Gweneth hunching over my head, clinging to my neck the look on his face stabs into my heart.

I am sorry brother.

He cares for her, but I do not believe she returns his affection. I think that she is interested in me. I know I am in her. Her small, alien form is a delight, of course but more than that I enjoy her. She has a vibrant personality and a sharp mind. I have enjoyed getting to know her since she was placed in Khiara’s home.

Now that the Maulavi seem to be done with questioning her and the other humans, accepting them at face value I hope, we have fallen into a comfortable routine. She has, more than once, been both the cause of both an argument and the settlement of one between Khiara and I. That’s a big statement since the only other person that has ever settled an argument between the two of us was our own mother. Usually when we disagree the only way I get his stubborn ass to change his mind is to avoid him for an extended period of time.

I haven’t been able to use that approach since she came. I could but I do not want to. I tried it once but I missed being around her. Playing games with her and learning more about her and her alien Star People.

The pained look in his eyes is gone as fast as it was there. Khiara is very good at hiding his true feelings and thoughts. Always has been. He takes a deep breath, looks around one more time to check our surroundings.

“Did you see what happened?” he asks.

“Someone attacked the Shaman,” Gweneth says.

Khiara darts an angry glance at her. I know him well enough to know that he isn’t angry at her or her speaking her mind, he’s angry at himself for the feelings he has but won’t express. That bothers me. I haven’t told her how I feel either, of course, but she’s also not living in my home. He could tell her and then he would know.

But that is not Khiara’s way. He hides his thoughts and his feelings, expecting those around him to read them, or understand him without words. I would pass judgment on how this is a terrible idea, but I do the same so what room do I have to?

“Who?” Khiara asks.

“I could not make out the person,” I answer.

Khiara nods as he scratches his cheek above his full beard. The raspy sound of his days growth, I’ve always been jealous of his ability to grow one so thick and fast, echoes off the close stone walls.

“This is bad,” he says.

“You think?” I ask, trying to make light of the situation.

“Yes,” he growls, his hands balling into fists. “Do you think to make light of this? You know what the response of the Maulavi will be? And do you really think that they won’t decide, sooner or later, that the humans are involved?”

“Me?” Gweneth asks, her voice high-pitched and squeaking.

I feel the fool because I hadn’t thought about it. Feeling stupid makes me angry. I lift Gwen off my shoulders making sure she is steady on her feet before facing my brother.

“I do not make light of it,” I glare, stepping into him.

He growls, his brow furrowing as he puffs his chest out. I pull my arm back, ready to punch him in his know it all face when Gwen grabs my bicep.

“Stop,” she says, inserting herself between the two of us. “Not here. Not now. Please.”

I don’t take my eyes off of Khiara and he doesn’t mine until she says please. The moment she does it’s as if the word deflates him. He drops his shoulders and lets the air out of his chest.

“She is right,” he says, shaking his head.

“We need to get her to your house,” I say. “It will be the safest place.”

“For now,” he agrees.

The echoes of the ongoing riot have not stopped echoing down the alley and now that I’m no longer focused on my anger I realize it sounds like they’re getting louder.

“Guys,” Gwen says, pointing behind us.

I look over my shoulder and see a mob pushing through the debris and garbage of the alley. I growl, hook an arm around her waist, and run in Khiara’s wake.

4

GWENETH

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