Varen came stumbling out of his room at that, looking sleepy, yet somehow also annoyed.
“Enriel,” he grumbled, sitting down beside her, as he pushed his long hair out of his face. But then his expression softened, and his tone became teasing. “You’re not even going to tell him the story about the time I tracked a dragon?”
On the morning of the third day, everyone rose early. Laena and Enriel would be setting off deeper into Aefraya, while Varen and Korik would return to the north. Beren had put together bundles of food for each of them. Once the packs were distributed, Enriel first hugged her uncle goodbye, then turned to Varen and hugged him, too. They embraced for a long moment; Korik looked away uncomfortably, feeling like an intruder in their family. Laena and Beren embraced; then Varen shook hands with Beren, who patted his back affectionately.
To his surprise, Enriel next turned to him. His heart leapt into his throat, afraid she might try to hug him, too. Instead, she only looked up at him with wide, shining eyes.
“Thank you for everything,” she said softly, clasping one of his hands with both of her own. “I don’t know what would have happened without you. We owe our lives to you.”
Korik managed a slight smile. “It was my pleasure. There’s no need to thank me.”
“No, truly, Korik.Thank you,” she said in a forceful whisper. “I’ll never forget this. Just... Stay safe out there. I know my brother can be annoying, but he knows what he’s doing. I will pray for a safe return for both of you, and... hopefully someday you can meet the baby, too.”
Korik’s tight, nervous smile softened. “I would like that.”
A few more words of goodbye were exchanged, then the four of them headed out toward the city gates. When they passed through and arrived at the main road, Varen and Korik stood and watched for a long moment as the women turned in the opposite direction. But when the image of the two of them atop their horses disappeared in the hills, Varen turned away without a word and started down the northern path. Korik tugged at the reins of his horse and hurried after him.
Varen had seemed in a decent enough mood when they set out, but now Korik wondered what he was thinking. Was he worried about his sister and his aunt? Was he annoyed at Korik’s presence in his mission, believing he would slow him down after all?
“Korik,” Varen said sharply, stopping to look back at him. Korik stopped, surprised at the sudden vehemence in his voice. “Are you really going to do this? You weren’t just telling the king what he wanted to hear?”
Korik blinked, processing. The question had come seemingly out of nowhere.Hadhe only told King Ruven what he wanted to hear? It was true that he did not think that this mission was his obligation, and he was not beholden to the elven king the way Varen was. He didn’twantto do this, but...
“I did not lie,” he finally answered, brows pulling together in a frown. “Not to you, nor to the king.”
Varen tugged his horse’s reins to fully turn and face Korik. His expression was wholly inscrutable to Korik now—no hint of the usual arrogant smirk he often wore.
“I know you have no obligation to Aefraya, or to me,” he said, his voice low and serious in a way that sent a shiver racing up Korik’s spine. “But if we are to come out alive at the other end of this, we’ll need to work together, no matter what happens. Do you understand?”
Again, Korik stared at him for a long moment, considering. There was a weight to Varen’s words that Korik couldn’t place: some gravity to him that Korik didn’t know how to interpret. But as he’d said, he had no intention of betraying the trust King Ruven had placed in him. He said he would help, and so he would.
“I understand,” he answered.
Immediately, Varen reached into the short space between their horses and held his hand out.
“I swear to you I will not leave you behind,” he said, bright hazel eyes piercing straight through Korik’s. As uncomfortable as it made him, he couldn’t bring himself to look away. “I will do everything in my power to ensure we make it back to Drol Kuggradh alive and whole.”
Korik had no idea how to respond, so he only nodded and shook his offered hand, still unable to break from the elf’s gaze.
“Swear to me you’ll do the same,” Varen said urgently, not releasing his grip. “Swear you won’t abandon me, or the mission.”
Korik pressed his lips together, his mouth suddenly dry. His tusks pushed uncomfortably into his upper lip at the movement. He had not considered just slipping away until now. A lone orc on the road could travel far more safely than a lone elf now, even if the rogue orcs had seen him before. It would be easy to leave Varen to his fate and return to his home in Drol Kuggradh, back to his life before all this.
He had yearned for home so often in the past weeks that it startled him to realize that he had no such desire now. Even though he did not want to spend his time seeking out the rogue orcs and tracking them, neither did he want to leave Varen behind. He didn’t know why. But he wanted to stay with the elf.
More than that, he thought, he had made a similar oath already. It had been over a year ago now, when King Zorvut had asked him to swear to do all he could to help the elves, in order to uphold the alliance between them. At the time, he had never anticipated being in a situation like this, yet here he was. He had no intention of betraying that promise, or betraying Varen.
“I swear it,” Korik finally replied, just as Varen’s expression started to grow desperate. “I will not leave you.”
Varen was silent for a beat, still looking at him. Then his expression softened, a hint of that familiar smirk returning to his lips. He finally released Korik’s hand.
“Thank you,” he said, turning his horse back around. For once, Korik thought he might have actually meant it.
Chapter Fourteen
Korik
ThejourneynorththroughAefraya was a quick and easy one, especially now that they were both on horseback. In just a few days, they stopped at the Trisfiel estate again to rest for the night; the next day, they were back in orc territory. There was no marker for the border any longer, but Korik could tell just by the way the shape of the land seemed to change—sharp rocky hills and hardy trees, compared to the soft green expanse of Aefraya they’d left behind.
