Chapter 12

Rimi is so beautiful with her head thrown back and her small mouth taut with pleasure. I want to treat her this way every day as long as she lives. I want to hear her perfect little moans, feel her tight, slippery cunt around me, and keep her wrapped up in my arms, right where she belongs.

I nuzzle her hair, keeping myself propped on one elbow so I don't squish her. My tiny human woman, who I could crush with my body weight. Somehow she took me inside her and loved every moment of it, sobbing out my name as she raced over the precipice with me, hand-in-hand.

But now reality is crashing down around me again. We're trapped under a pile of rocks, waiting and hoping the hunters have given up. If we do get out of here alive, where do we go next where Gusak's riders won't catch up to us? And let's say I can manage to find Rimi a way home. What happens to me?

Because now, I don't want to let her go, not ever again.

The rush of this desire takes me by surprise. I've been with many orcesses and trollesses before, but I'm only ever seen as a quick lay, a troll who's easy on the eyes to show them a good time under the blankets. No, Rimi is different. She's special. She's from another world, another plane, sent here with no one to look out for her but me.

I want to stay connected to her as long as possible, so I roll us over with my cock still twitching and throbbing inside her. I could probably get good and ready again for another round without much effort, but this awful floor is hard and cold. I pull Rimi in close and she molds into me, one hand sliding up my tusk. She lets out a deep, contented sigh, and I imagine us lying on a wooden bed draped in furs, a candle burning in a window. I would be most satisfied with someone like her in my blankets every night.

No. I have to get her to safety in human territory, at least, and who knows how long it will take to get there. That's my mission, and I have to finish it.

We should go, I tell Rimi. Return how we came and try to find a way up the cliffs. That's our only option.

She doesn't respond. I nudge her forehead to make sure she hasn't fallen asleep, and she glances up at me with wide, curious eyes.

Rimi? What do you think? Again, there's no answer, and I grow concerned. Can you hear me? I ask, more frantic. What's happened to the connection between us?

It's as if she's having the same realization. We disengage from each other's bodies, and Rimi sits up on my tunic, worried eyes searching mine.

"Rimi?" I ask. "Can you understand me?"

She blinks and says, "Lo'zar anya ha saaru?" Her slender brows crease.

The words don't make sense. It's her voice, but I can't understand her. Icy fear curls in my throat. I can't lose this now that I've just gotten it.

I kiss her forehead to assure her that everything will be all right, and get up to my feet. I tug on my breeches as I walk to the stone in the center of the room, the worms that crawl all over it casting an ethereal glow across Rimi's beautiful, naked body.

There's a small sliver of panic growing in my chest, and by the frightened look on her face, I'm not alone. Perhaps this change wasn't permanent, but temporary—a short boon granted by the strange glowing worms lying at the heart of an ancient ruin.

What will I do if I can't hear Rimi's voice again? If I can't talk to her any longer? I can't stand the thought.

I peer up at the wall where the hands meet between the troll and human faces. What does it mean? I feel like we were meant to find this place, whatever it is. It's some sort of puzzle that I just need to figure out.

"Lo'zar?" Rimi says behind me, voice trembling. She's putting Kugara's tunic on, getting up to her feet without anything covering her cute little thighs. Already I miss being able to tell her everything I'm thinking. She should always know how lovely she is.

The huge stone is shaped like an egg, riddled with holes that the worms use to move through and around it in a constant stream. I lean closer to study them, their four-inch glowing bodies wriggling in a way that would be disgusting if they didn't look like liquid glass. I pick one up, and it frantically tries to get away. Then I turn to Rimi and hold out my hand, gesturing to her with the worm.

My clever human, she understands right away. We did this before, so let's try it again. Rimi eagerly jogs up to the stone and reaches for me. As her palm lands in mine, I wonder what I've found in her.

Just let me hear her voice again, I think, and the worm twitches in our hands.

Lo'zar?I hear Rimi's frantic thoughts. Can you hear me?

I can hear you.

She tightens her grip on me and exhales with relief. Thank goodness. I was so frightened when you didn't... Her thoughts trail off. I couldn't stand not being able to talk to you, even for a few moments.

I know what you mean. Again, the worm shrivels, and the glow inside fades. I drop it to the ground, then put an arm around her shoulders and pull her in. It felt like I was alone.

She nods vigorously, wiping at her eyes. And I don't want to be alone, she says. Not ever again.

What a wonderful creature she is. I want to assure her that she won't be, but I can't possibly know that. Her future is a different one than mine.

How do these things work? I ask, gazing down in wonder at the critters leaving bright, glowing tracks across the stone as they weave in and out of their tunnels. Both times now, I wished to talk to you. And then it happened.

Rimi blinks. It... grants wishes? She puzzles over this. But if the wish doesn't last, then we can't leave this place, or we won't be able to hear each other.

I would rather stay here forever. So I reach out and grab another worm and drop it into my pocket. I'll bring it with me.

Lo'zar! Rimi chides, but she's laughing. You can't just kidnap one.

Why not? For good measure, I take a second worm and put it in my other pocket with my fire starter, then a third and a fourth.

Because they'll die. She approaches carrying my tunic, which now carries the pleasant stain of our mutual fluids, and holds it out to me. I'll wear that stain with pride, thank you.

We"ll just have to touch one every few hours,I say. Then we can keep talking. Right?

Won't we run out eventually? A strange look comes over her. There might be another way.

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