“Have you at least had some breakfast yet?” she asked. “We don’t serve breakfast as you know, but I could fry you a dozen eggs or something. Drinking on an empty stomach won’t do you good.”
“Thanks. I already ate. Got some roasted muskrat and beets at the communal fire a little while ago.” I made an effort to soften my voice. It wasn’t Olga’s fault that I’d rather have Khala here than her.
The tavern’s door slammed open and closed.
“There you are!” a familiar deep voice boomed. Agor slammed his heavy hand on my shoulder in greeting. “I looked for you by the bonfires last night. They say your hunting has been good. You’re well on track to win the bet. Well done, brother.”
Agor and I weren’t related by blood. But we grew up together and were closer than some blood siblings were. He didn’t call me “brother” often, though. The High Chief must be feeling exceptionally sentimental today.
“Aw, I missed you too, sweetie pie,” I teased, turning on my stool to face him.
He snorted a laugh, then gave me a huge, bone-crushing hug.
Becca, Agor’s wife, stood next to her husband as she always did. If the two got literally joined at the hip one day, they probably wouldn’t even notice it because nothing would change in their lives. They did absolutely everything together.
“Good to have you back, Grat.” Becca smiled.
“Morning, Becca,” I said, giving her a close look.
Becca was a human. Tall and strong, with a fire-red braid and with hard, ropy muscles in her arms and thighs from her daily weapon training, she looked very different from my bird-like, raven-haired Khala. Yet smart, brave Becca seemed to have far more in common with Khala than any animal out there, including the apemen.
Had I been a willfully ignorant idiot by thinking that a woman like Khala was merely an animal?
Agor elbowed me playfully. “Stop staring at my woman and get your own instead.”
Becca laughed. “Grat is too happy being single to settle down, Agor. As his best friend, you should know he prefers many women to one.”
“Right,” I sighed. “That I do.”
Or more accurately, Idid. Before a certain little sweet thing came along and stole my sausage, my sleep, and my peace.
“Hey, is something wrong?” Agor placed a hand on my shoulder, far more carefully this time. “You’re not looking so good, my friend. Did you have breakfast yet?”
Why was everyone so dead set on feeding me this morning?
“I’m fine.” I rubbed the back of my head. “Just…”
Justwhat?
Pining after a woman who came out of nowhere and never told me anything about herself? A woman, whom I’d known barely for over a week, but who had become so much a part of my life that I already struggled to go on without her .
“We’re on our way to sparring,” Agor said. “Want to come?”
Becca smiled. “Let’s see how long you can last against me this time. I’ll even let you choose the weapon.”
I scoffed. “I don’t need a weapon to best you, little newt.”
That was a lie. Becca might be a human and a woman, but she was fast and skilled. She’d bested many orcs, and one needed every weapon they could get to go against her.
“Ha!” She hiked up her chin, raising her hand to the handle of the sword strapped to her back. “Let’s go. Right now, big guy.”
She bounced on her heels, pumped up with energy.
I, on the other hand, felt not energetic at all.
“Some other day.” I waved her off.
They both just stood there and stared at me with their mouths open.
