The Cost of Betrayal (The Half-Orcs, Book 2) by Dalglish David

Author:Dalglish, David [Dalglish, David]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2010-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

The moon was a curved sliver of light illuminating a cold forest when Qurrah returned home. Tessanna sat before a fire she had built in the clearing before the front door.

“How was it?” she asked, the red flame flickering off the black orbs that were her eyes.

“Bearable,” he said, sitting opposite of her. “They love each other so very much.”

“Some people are lucky enough to find and marry their love.” She grabbed a long stick and tossed it upon the fire. “And others never do. And then there is me.”

“You’re no different,” Qurrah said. His voice was vile water spewing from his heart. “Are you incapable of love?”

Tears ran down the sides of her face. Even so, her words carried no hint of the emotion she clearly felt.

“I am capable of loving a man,” she said. “And men are capable of loving me. But death comes for all I love and claims them like a bitter thief.”

Qurrah cast down his eyes, ashamed of his outburst. “Ignore my words. I have lost my brother.”

Tessanna curled her legs against her chest and peered at him over her knees.

“Do you wish to have me? It might help.”

“No,” Qurrah said. “Let my brother do the taking tonight.” She stood to return to the house, but the half-orc stopped her. “Do not go,” he said. “Stay with me.”

The girl smiled, beautiful amid the dreary night. Whether the smile was honest or false, Qurrah was too tired to care.

“I will be inside my home,” she said. “Our home. Do not worry about what your brother does this night.”

She entered the cabin, shutting the door softly behind her. He stared after her, the flickering fire popping and cracking. His mind ravaged itself. How dare he fall prey to weakness. His brother’s actions and choices were of no concern to him. If he found happiness in forsaking his blood and marrying an elf, then so be it. Philosophy was for the rich and the bored. Feeling was all that mattered. His brother felt happiness with her. He would feel happiness with Tessanna.

He stood and kicked out the fire. Silent as a thief, he opened the door to their home. Upon the bed she waited, her clothes cast aside, as if she had known all along.

“It is what we both want,” she said. “I care of nothing else.”

“I know,” he said. He went to her.

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