I watched Rosa for a few moments afterward, wanting to see how she’d react now that we were alone together. Would she break the facade? Would she try to run?
I couldn’t wait to find out.
“Rosa.” As foreign as it sounded, the name slipped off my tongue like the smoothest ale. “You must recognize the position you find yourself in.”
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, and this time her voice wobbled, just a little: “I would simply like to go home.” A pause. “Please.”
I thought about that for a moment. Simply giving in to her wishes would make me look soft, but perhaps there was something to be gained from all of this. Perhaps I could spin this incident to both my — and my clan’s — advantage.
“You come into my territory and make demands. You speak so plainly and boldly to your king. All as a filthy…little…human.” I advanced on her with each word until we were breaths apart.
All bravado flooded out of her, leaving only that sweet essence. She came barely to my chest, but she craned her neck upward, lips slightly parted, cheeks flushed, eyes wet.
Every instinct I had told me to throw her down and take her then and there, to show her who she truly belonged to, but no. They may see us as savages, but even orcs have a code of values.
If she really was a spy sent to infiltrate our defenses, I couldn’t let her know I was on to her game. All I could do was play along — and play better — than the human.
That wouldn’t be so hard…right?