Page 13 of The Orc's Sweetheart
Take that, Audrey. I asked for help. You’ll never know about my luggage debacle, but I’ll be sure to tell you about this.
Annamae makes her way toward the main path, calling over her shoulder, “It’s already thriving. Just like you will.”
I’m about to head inside again when something else catches my eye next to the fence leading to my garden.
Is that the rest of my luggage?
Chapter 6
Bodin
“You sure you don’t want me to get you a generator?” I ask Arran for what must be the tenth time over the last couple of years as he sees me out of his home.
Arran scoffs and makes a dismissive gesture. Leaning against the front wall of his castle, the vampire folds his arms over his chest and stares out over the dark ocean. “I’ve gotten by for the last four hundred years without one and do not see the need for change at this point. It’s not as if one thing can alter my life.”
Without meaning to, my mind flashes to Tilly. I’m not someone who is swayed by much—I keep myhead down and take care of the island. But, it’s like she’s infiltrated my thoughts and it’s forcing me to act out of character.
I run a hand along my beard and stare back into the dark interior of Arran’s castle. “You could consider having a test run with one. I’m not saying you should keep it, but a little more light in here might do you some good.”
“I like my candles.” Arran’s reply is flat and doesn’t invite further conversation, but I also don’t see one candle lit at this time, so I decide to try a new tactic.
“That’s fair. It’s not my place to convince you otherwise. I’m just letting you know that we ordered a more powerful generator for Ren since he needs a constant power supply with his computer stuff. Once we swap his old one out, it’ll just be sitting in my workshop. I can always bring it here and you could try it for a limited time if you were curious.”
“Your kindness knows no bounds, young orc,” Arran says with a nod of appreciation. “Thank you for bringing my blood bags to me too. I was meaning to get them from The Bandaged Heart last night, but a small gap has formed next to a window in the tower.” He steps forward and points at the window in question. “I had to see to it before daylight.”
I follow him forward as I explain, “I saw the bags were still in your blood fridge when I got up this morning, so I thought I’d stop by. It’s unusual for you not to get them after nightfall.” My brow furrows as I stare up to where he’s pointing, the bright starry sky providing enough light to see his crude handiwork. “I wish I would’ve checked sooner. If I knew there was a problem with the window I could’ve brought the bags earlier as well as some tools to assist you.”
Arran rubs at his neck. “That’s alright.” He clears his throat and leans back against the wall. “I know you wake early and need to be up all day, unlike me who needs to stay indoors while the pesky sun makes its way across the sky.”
I put my hands in my pockets and take up a position next to him, also staring at the silver light of the moon glinting off the black ocean water. “I know you built this castle with your own hands, but as caretaker I’d still like to help you sometimes. I could at least give you my caulk gun.”
Arran straightens, his eyes bulging in their sockets. “A cock gun? What the fuck is that? I don’t want your cock. Or a gun. I like… women.”
I suppress the smile that’s threatening to form. “Not cock. Caulk. A caulk gun is a device that helps with applying a sealant around a window frame.”
Arran’s chin tips down and he doesn’t meet my eyes. “Oh. That makes more sense. Would you look at that? The sky is starting to lighten.”
Is my life going to be filled with awkward moments and misunderstandings from now on? I was hoping to keep those restricted to Tilly alone.
I acknowledge his discomfort with a nod and shuffle toward the main path leading past his house and back toward town. “No problem. For any future projects, please let me know. I could help insulate your castle like I did for the other cottages. Or bring that generator.”
One hand on the heavy wooden front door—the onlynonpaintedfront door on the island—Arran says, “I’ll have a think about it. Have a good day, Bodin.”
I lift my arm in farewell and call over my shoulder, “Sleep well, Arran.”
As the black sky lightens to blue on my way to my workshop, my brain automatically switches from Arran to Tilly. I couldn’t think of anything except her as I lay in bed last night, replaying the scene with the plates over and over again in my head.
I really don’t understand her. What would make her care for stupid dishes more than an actual creature?
A weird feeling of guilt sat on my chest after I basically shouted at her while she was on her knees. Watching her struggle up that hill with the cart full of luggage was not as satisfying as I had hoped it would be, so I dropped the rest of her things off while Annamae kept her distracted.
I also may have hung around outside her house like some creep as night fell, checking that she was okay and that she closed the windows before she went to sleep. Sometimes the wind from Kraken Cove can unexpectedly pick up, and if she’s not used to the creaking window frames, it might scare her.
It’s not like I actually care, though. I just did that because Ma would want Tilly to feel safe.
Only when I was sure everything was closed and she was asleep, did I permit myself to go back to my apartment.
I pause for a moment to enjoy the first hint of the sun peeking over the horizon, the sky now alight with purples, oranges, and yellows, only to realize I’m right outside Tilly’s cottage. For the life of me, I can’t make my feet walk past it, and I wonder if she’s already up and getting ready for her first day of work with Ma.
