Page 111 of The Orc's Captive Bride
“Lead the way,” she said.
He nodded and started down the slope still holding her hand.
And as the first pale fingers of dawn began to paint the eastern sky, she followed the orc warrior who’d chosen her over everything he’d ever known into the wild darkness beyond the city.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Khorrek pushed them through the darkness like his life depended on it. Because it did, both their lives depended on it.
Every instinct he possessed screamed at him to move faster and put more distance between them and Kel’Vara. Between them and Lasseran’s inevitable rage when he discovered the betrayal.
When. Not if.
Morning would come and the High King would summon them. He’d find Thea’s rooms empty and her guard missing.
And then all the hells would break loose.
He’d seen Lasseran’s wrath before, seen what the High King did to those who disappointed him. Those who defied him. Those he considered traitors.
The memory of broken bodies and screams that lasted days made his jaw clench and made his hand tighten involuntarily around Thea’s. She squeezed back. Tired but still walking. Still trusting him to lead her through this nightmare.
Strong. So much stronger than she looked.
The terrain grew rougher as they descended from the base of the cliffs. Rocky outcroppings gave way to dense pine forest. Old growth that blocked out what little moonlight remained.
Perfect for hiding, but terrible for speed.
He navigated by instinct and memory. He’d traveled these paths before on various missions for Lasseran and he knew the shape of the land even in darkness.
She stumbled and caught herself, then kept walking.
He slowed fractionally. “We can rest soon.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re exhausted.”
“So are you.”
True. But exhaustion was familiar. He’d been trained to push through it and function on minimal sleep and maximum adrenaline for days at a time.
She hadn’t.
“Just a bit farther. There’s a place I know. Hidden. Safe.”
“Okay.” No argument. No complaint.
Just trust.
She shouldn’t trust me this much. Shouldn’t follow me blindly into the wilderness.
But he was desperately grateful she did.
They kept moving as the forest thickened and the undergrowth caught at their cloaks. Branches reached out like grasping fingers in the darkness.
Her breathing grew labored, not quite a wheeze but close. He was pushing her too hard, but what choice did they have?
Dawn was coming and with it, discovery.
