The Cost of Betrayal (27 page)

“Pretty,” she said. “And creepy. I love it.”

Her laughter still echoed when they shut the door and left the tower.

H
arruq was miserable the rest of the day, not brightening up even when presented with another bountiful feast for dinner. He picked at the food, and then pushed the plate away. He left without a word.

“Someone needs to cheer that guy up,” Tarlak said, shoving pieces of chicken into his mouth.

“He will be alright,” Aurelia said. “Give him time.”

“I’ll set him straight tomorrow if he isn’t,” Haern said, smiling. His hood was nowhere in sight, and his smile a bright sun to the somber table.

T
he stars shine well this night,” Aurelia said, approaching the lone half-orc. They were a mile south of the tower. The Eschaton tower and its surrounding forest were far away. Only hills and stars blessed their eyes. “They do so to light your way, and the way of your brother.”

“Don’t feel like talking, Aurry,” Harruq said. His back was to her, hunched over and his head low. His eyes looked to the ground as much as they looked to the sky.

“I know,” she said, sitting beside him in the grass. “Do you know why he left? It’s because he must, Harruq. You two are brothers, closer than most humans and elves ever become to their kin, but you are not the same. You cannot walk the same path forever.”

Harruq remained silent, absently picking at the grass.

“It’s normal to miss him,” she continued. “Please don’t dwell upon it, though. You have friends here, and your brother is not alone.”

“He has her,” he said.

“And you have me,” Aurelia said. Her fingers touched his chin, turning his face to hers. “Did you mean what you said earlier?”

Harruq met her gaze, a bit of anger flaring into his eyes, but then he pulled away and looked to his feet. “Yeah. I did.”

The elf slid closer and wrapped her arms around him. Her head rested on his shoulder. She felt his muscles stiffen, and she sensed the instinctive discomfort it caused him.

“Don’t look at your feet, dummy. The stars are far prettier.”

He chuckled, mumbling some sort of protest. He looked to the stars. Long moments passed, quiet and warm, as they gazed at the beacons of white locked into the black painting above. Finally, Aurelia stood, brushing off grass from her dress. She pulled a silver ring off her right hand and held it out to him.

“Take this.”

“What’s it for?” he asked, accepting it. The silver twinkled in the starlight. Such a beautiful token seemed out of place on his rough, dirty hands.

“One day you’ll understand,” she said. She knelt and kissed his forehead. “All you give me I will return,” she whispered. “Anything, and everything.”

With those words, she left him to his thoughts. He twirled the silver ring, mesmerized by the reflection. When he returned to the tower, he placed the ring underneath his pillow and did his best not to look at the vacant bed beside him.

13

A
strange sickness claimed the trees as they neared the clearing, miles from any established path. Grass lay curled and limp, its color a dull brown. The sunlight brought no cheer, for it shone through dead branches. In the center, dilapidated and weatherworn, was the former home of Tessanna Delone. It was a small cottage, overrun with brown vines, with a single door, flat roof, and clogged chimney.

“Pretty, isn’t it,” Tessanna said. Her voice was sullen and inward. “Daddy said the land died at my birth.” She approached the front door, Qurrah at her side. The grass crumpled weakly under their feet. When she yanked open the door, the dull noises of the forest silenced altogether.

Qurrah was familiar with death. He could sense its approach, harness its power, and touch the cold trail that lingered long after its passing. Corpses meant nothing to him. He should have handled seeing what he saw. He didn’t. His breakfast rushed up his throat, and he lurched to one side, doubling over and vomiting.

“Hi, daddy,” Tessanna said. “Did you miss me?”

Tied to a chair hunched the remains of Tessanna’s father. His shriveled hands were bound behind him. The ropes had loosened over time as the flesh underneath shriveled and decayed. The house had been his tomb, and within, he had almost mummified. Stitches of red cloth hung stiff from the leathery nubs of flesh that had been his lips. Covering what remained of his clothes were great blotches of dried blood, mixed with shards of glass.

“I wonder how he died,” she said, glancing back to Qurrah. “I hope it was lengthy.”

Qurrah entered, hands sweating and his stomach still churning. He chastised himself for his weakness. It was just a dead body, after all. Never mind the horrific expression on the man’s face, or the expelled blood and glass. He blamed his reaction on the smell. The air was remarkably stagnant, preserving the body in all its gory detail.

“If we are to live here, we’ll need to greatly improve the natural aroma,” he said, holding a side of his hood over his mouth. Tessanna looked at him, her eyes blank.

“Of course. Did you presume us to leave the body here?”

Qurrah shook his head. “Never mind what I presumed. Help me dispose of your father.”

Using Tessanna’s dagger, they cut the ropes. His body slumped forward, his head falling between his knees as if he were to vomit. The girl took a rope, wrapped it around his neck, and dragged him out of the chair. She showed no sign of emotion as she pulled the body across the floor. She acted as if she were removing a chamber pot. Qurrah propped open the door, took the sheets from the bed and wrapped them around the chair. He carried it around back, planning to toss it to ruin in some far away brush. He stopped, though, for Tessanna was already there.

The grotesque body sat propped against a tree. Tessanna knelt opposite it. She was staring, not blinking, not moving. Qurrah put down the chair and approached.

“Tess?”

“I never said goodbye,” she said. “I wonder why I never said goodbye. It never bothered me until now.” In perfect contrast to her words, her voice lacked any of emotion.

“He didn’t deserve any comfort or sympathy. You knew that, then. You have forgotten it, now.”

The girl shrugged. “Perhaps you’re right. He didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve me. He didn’t deserve my hugs. My kisses. Me.”

Still no emotion. Qurrah placed a hand on her shoulder. She jerked her head around and saw him, and then the tears started to flow.

“Oh, Qurrah,” she said. She sniffed. “Want to do me a favor?”

“Anything, my love,” he said.

“Fuck me.”

She pulled him down to her, assaulting him with her kiss. They made love in the dirt while the corpse of her father watched.

H
arruq paced outside their door, Aurelia’s ring in hand. Two opposing thoughts clashed in his mind. When he came to a decision, he knocked his large knuckles against the door.

“Who is it?” he heard a female voice ask.

“Just open it, Delysia,” said another.

The door cracked open, and Delysia looked out, smirking at the half-orc.

“Care to join me in my prayers?” she asked.

“Ha, ha. Can I talk to Aurry, please?”

“Sure thing, cutie. Aurelia, your suitor is here.”

She danced past him, grinning at the fierce blush in Harruq’s neck. He pushed open the door, stepped in, and crossed his arms. Aurelia lay on her bed, her hair braided into a long ponytail.

“Yes, Harruq?” she asked.

In answer, he walked over, opened her hand, and shoved her ring onto her palm before he lost his nerve.

“What are you doing?” she asked, staring down at the ring.

“I know what you want me to do with it,” he said. “I can’t. Ever.”

She clenched her fist and met his steeled resolve. “Why is that?”

“You know why,” he said.

“No, I don’t. Why?”

“Because it can’t work!” he shouted. Aurelia flinched, and the sight stung him deeply.

“Why, Harruq?” she asked, quieter. “Why can it not work?”

“I’m an orc. You’re an elf. It’s never happened.”

The elf stood, shaking. She slapped him with her empty hand.

“You think me foolish?” she asked, not giving him a chance to speak. “You think I haven’t thought of that? I have abandoned my forest, abandoned my home, and made enemies of my friends, all to be at your side. Just because you fear and loathe the blood in your veins doesn’t mean I feel the same.”

“That’s not, I don’t think you…damn it Aurry, you think this is how I want it to be?”

“What is it you want then?”

“I want you,” he screamed, his face glowing red. “I want you at my side for the rest of my life. And I want to stop being so damn scared to admit it!”

They stared at each other, anger and confusion pulsing through their hearts.

“Say you love me,” she said.

“I love you,” he said.

“Fine.” Her voice quivered, a knife’s edge from breaking. “Then take this ring back. If you want to be with me forever, then to the abyss with what anyone else might think. There may be orcish blood in you, but never would I wish it gone.”

She extended her hand, the ring laying in her open palm. Harruq stared at it, both fearing and yearning for it. Rejecting her was a kindness, a blessing, a noble act from an ignoble man. How could he be so wrong?