Page 29 of My Orc Billionaire
“I wish we were here in better weather. The walk is really nice, even though the mosquitos are wicked at dusk.”
There were no mosquitos tonight, the rain kept them away. I suddenly found myself eager to be out there, to breathe deeply, to stand among nature oncemore. To no longer be stuck inside, watching the storm—allthe storms—from behind glass.
Would it be so bad to allow myself to step out into the maelstrom of emotions? To be a part of something again?
“I don’t mind the weather,” I found myself saying. “The rain is nice.” That was such a minor thing to say in comparison to what I was thinking. “Storms make me feel…”
I trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence.
Make me feelwas probably good enough.
Riven had unbuckled her belt, and now rested her forearms on the dashboard as she studied the boardwalk through the rain. “Your brother Memnon and his Mate Maya put in all that sawgrass in the spring—Maya told me it’s supposed to help with erosion.”
My brows went up. “I know they have a landscaping business…”
“And they built a home around here somewhere, as I recall.”
It was to the north from this parking lot, along a tidal creek. He’d invited me, and I’d been impressed by the solitude and peace.
There was that word again:Peace.
“He spent a decade in the biggest city he could find,” I found myself telling Riven. “It was past time for him to get back to his roots.” My lips twitched. “Literally. Memnon and I always shared a love for the wild places.”
“Really?” She swung on me, her eyes wide as the lightning moved closer. “You’re a fan of nature?”
Fan of natureseemed like such a simplistic way to say it… “We grew up in it. Among it. This…” I shook my head as I gestured toward the towering pines. “It’s not what we know, but it still speaks to us. Memnon and I used to disappear for days.” Gods below, that time in our life was such a distant memory. “He was a good forager. I…”
Riven leaned closer, her expression eager. “You? Did you forage too? Climb trees? Oh, please tell me you climbed trees!”
My lips twitched again. “Sorry to disappoint you. I was more interested in the rocks. But we couldn’t eat rocks, so my talents were less than useful.”
“Of course,” she breathed. “So you’ve always been into geology? Even before you came to our world?”
I nodded. “Your world is a mirror of ours. The same landscapes and animals and resources, but yours has been more developed.”Pillaged. Giant holes dug into the face of the land…“I arrived here being able to identify rocks and minerals by the taste, and?—”
“Bullshit!” she laughed, as a crack of thunder caused her to startle. “You can’ttaste?—”
“Orc senses are far more refined than humans’.”
“Oh, man!” She was still laughing. “If we weren’t in the middle of a storm, I’d demand you prove it.”
Her laughter made me feel lighter, somehow. Or maybe it was the trees, the nature. Or the storm, or thatpeace.
“I don’t give into demands,” I told her haughtily, reaching for the door handle. “But Idomake wagers.”
“It’s pouring down rain out there, Abydos!”
That was the point.
Finally…finally.
I opened the door and allowed myself to step into the storm.
Chapter Seven
Abydos
The slamof the SUV’s door was drowned out by a crash of thunder, and the rain beat like needles against my scalp. But it didn’t matter. Because I wasin the storm again.
