Chapter 17

While Rimi sleeps in the other room, I light a candle and sit down at the fire pit. There's a hole in the roof of the house that lets out the smoke, with a leather tarp strung tight above it so rain can't get in.

I should sleep, but arriving in Kalishagg has sent the blood running too warm in my veins. There are dangers everywhere here, and that guard at the entrance to the city... I curse to myself. If I could have strangled him without revealing our little ploy, I would have. Rimi's terrified face will forever be branded on my memory.

And then there's Graz. I've brought a strange human into his home. I'd like to believe he would have my back, as old friends who grew up street rats together, but clan loyalty is strong, too.

Perhaps it's less about loyalty and more about fear. If Gusak knew I was here, if he thought Graz might be sheltering me...

I don't want to think about that. I have to hope that nobody's seen us yet, and that Graz won't turn us in.

When it grows dark outside, there comes a clicking at the door. Graz is home. I try to appear as non-threatening as I can so I don't surprise him too badly. Finally he comes inside, not even noticing the candle is lit, then turns to close the door behind him.

Graz is certainly no thief. He could walk straight through a herd of elephants and probably not notice them.

"Graz," I say quietly, and he spins around. His eyes land on me with horror.

"Lo'zar?" He takes a few uneasy steps back. After he's recovered a little from his shock, the big orc shakes his head furiously. "That's really you?"

"Who else would I be?"

He groans. "What are you doing in Kalishagg after what you did? Are you a moron?"

I want to skip all this. "Think about it. The fact it's stupid is what makes it brilliant. Gusak isn't looking for me here."

"What if I turn you in?" Graz doesn't sit down, pacing the room instead. "I could hand you over to him easily. I'd probably get a pretty penny for it, too."

"Then do it." I cross my arms. "If my own childhood friend is willing to get me killed, then I deserve it."

Graz stills. When he looks at me again he seems sad and defeated.

"Why would you do this?" he asks. "All... all for a human? You risked everything, Lo'zar. And you're an idiot for coming back."

"You don't understand." I gesture at the chair. "Sit. I have a lot to tell you."

* * *

"I don't believe you for a single damn second," my friend says with a measured calmness when I'm finished with my story. I leave out some of the more intimate details, but I don't hide the fact that I'm fucking her. Or whatever it is we do that feels like a lot more than that.

There must be some way to prove it to him. Then I remember the little worms in my pockets, and take them out.

"Here." I hold one out to him. The outer casing is shriveled up, but the body still glows purple. "This is one of the worms we ate."

Silent, Graz takes it and brings it close to his face to study it. He runs a finger along the worm's sinking corpse. "Huh. It looks almost inorganic. Like it's not an animal at all." He stares at me. "So you're saying this stuff inside it... grants wishes?"

"I think so. I wanted to talk to her, and it let me. Except, um, in our minds." Graz stares at me blankly.

"Uh huh." His tone is sarcastic. "Then you ate one to make it permanent. Because that's all very sensible." Graz turns to his bedroom. "And this human you're risking your life for, she's in there?"

I nod. I don't tell him how I feel like I might just wither up and die like that worm when she's gone.

"Maybe if I show you," I suggest. I walk into the other room and kneel down by the bed, giving Rimi's arm a soft shake.

Wake up.

Her eyelids twitch, and then jolt open. Her eyes dart around the room, her pupils dilating like she doesn't remember where we are.

Hey, it's all right. I run a soothing hand over her shoulder. We're safe—for now. But I need your help.

She sleepily blinks. With what?

First, you should meet my friend. I take her hand and lead her back to where Graz is waiting expectantly. His eyes jump to her, then our linked hands, and the crease between his brows deepens.

"So, this is her?" he asks. "But she's... ugly. I mean, in the way that all humans are ugly. And so small."

I have to try hard not to smile. One of the many things I like about her. "I know."

Rimi,I say to her, gesturing at my friend, this is Graz.

"Graz," she repeats out loud. She offers him a hand, and Graz looks mighty confused. Then he extends his own hand and they shake, though he rubs it off on his pants afterward.

Graz looks at me. "You can fuck something this size?"

I could strangle him. "Rimi is not a thing."

"Sorry, right. Your human pet."

I growl, and Rimi casts a concerned look between us.

What's he saying? she asks.

He's being rude. I hope against hope that Graz doesn't decide at this moment it's worth more to him to turn us in. We have to prove to him that my story is true.

Can I talk to him? she asks. The way I can talk to you?

"Hold out the worm," I tell him. "And touch her hand. Then you can—"

"Then I can what, have you both in my head, too?" Graz snorts. "No, thanks. I like my thoughts where they are. Besides, I don't want to overhear whatever gross shit you say to each other."

He won't do it, I tell her.

Rimi pauses to think. Then she grins the grin that says she has an idea. Let's play a game, then. You go into the other room.

What? I don't like this already.

Just do it. I'll be okay.

With a reluctant sigh, I agree. I step into the back room, close the curtain, and wait for a few long moments.

I showed him three numbers with my hands, she says through the wall. Eight, one, and six. Come back now.

I return to the main room, and hold up the numbers: Eight, one, six.

"This is so fucking strange, Lo'zar," Graz says with a grunt of annoyance.

"I know."

He shakes his head. "There's no way this is real." But I know that he believes it now.

We all sit in silence for a while while Graz processes everything I've told him. He holds up the worm's body to the light.

"So this stuff is dangerous?" he says, examining it closely.

"Dangerous enough we took the whole damn place down with us."

He gapes at me. "You what?"

"Rimi used some of those worms, and they blew up. The pyramid almost collapsed on top of us." Rimi perks up when I say her name. She's glancing between us like she's trying to suss out what we're saying.

I can see the veins already starting to pop out of Graz's forehead. "You... you destroyed one of the few remnants of our ancestors? Before I could even check it out?"

I shrug. "It was that or be killed. I chose ‘not be killed'."

He grunts. "I can't believe you. A place filled with some kind of ancient magic, and you just buried it so no one will ever find it again." He shakes his head, then glares at Rimi. "All because you got the hots for a human."

"She's not just any—"

"What do you want from me?" Graz's voice shifts to something harsher.

I swallow hard as I say it. "I need your help getting Rimi home."

This is not what he wanted to hear. "There's no way I'm risking my position with the clan for that," he says firmly, crossing his arms. "I will let you stay here for one night, and then I need you to leave."

My heart falls. I can't do this without my oldest friend to help me.

Rimi notices the atmosphere has changed. Lo'zar, what's wrong?

This was my only plan. I don't have any other options. He won't help us, I tell her.

She gets to her feet quickly. Why not?

You're human. He has no investment in what happens to you. I'm suddenly furious with him. It takes over me hard and fast. This is my person. My everything.

And that's when the truth hits home. Finally, I get it. It all makes sense.

"Graz." I try to keep my temper in check. "I don't think you understand."

"Understand what?" He's just as pissed off with me. "That you put everything on the line for some woman, and now you're bringing that trouble to my house?"

"She's mine," I snarl, locking eyes with him. "She is my mate. Without a doubt. If you turn her away, you are turning me away, forever."

It's like I've shot him right in the gut.

"That's..." Graz is at a loss for words. "That's terrible."

"Terrible?" It's the best thing to ever happen to me. "The mating bond is anything but terrible."

"With a human?" He gapes. "It's not possible. And even if it were, it's foolish. Nothing good can come out of it."

Of course something good can come out of it. My happiness. My joy. My completeness.

"Graz." I rise up to my feet, and grip his shoulder in one hand. "Have you ever felt it? What it's like to meet your mate?"

Graz growls at me. "You know I haven't." He drops his head in his hands. "Of course it would be you. The guy who fucks anything with two legs, and does crazy things like stealing from Gusak." I stay silent, letting him get it all out. He looks sad as he turns back to me. "I've always wanted it, you know. A mate. It's not fair that you would find one first."

I think I understand now. "You have plenty of time, Graz." I shake his shoulder. "Maybe you're meant for a little human, too."

"Me?!" He pulls away and groans, looking at Rimi. She returns his stare with an uneasy smile. It's a good thing she can't understand what we're saying. "Never."

I know what it'll take to sell him. I lean forward and whisper in his ear, "They have the tightest cunts you've ever felt in your life."

Then I pull away, and his eyebrows have risen up to his hair. "No way."

"It's the most marvelous feeling in the world. You've never experienced anything like it, I promise."

Rimi's eyes narrow, and I think she might have an idea of what I just said.

"You're serious?" Graz lets out a sigh and runs a hand through his stiff black stripe of hair. "Man, always thinking with your cock, aren't you?"

"It's just one of the many perks."

Graz turns his eyes back to Rimi, and he studies her carefully. "I guess I have no choice." Resigned, he crouches down by the fire pit so he can get a better look at the worm in his hand. "But I don't know how I can possibly help you get her on that ship."

"I know we can figure it out." I grin. "That's what we're good at, right? Finding the impossible path through."