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I’d complete the tests, and then our lives would be perfect.
Chapter 3
Jarum
On Friday, we left work early. I picked Kassia up at her apartment and placed her small bag in the back of my truck.
While she held her dog, Diesel, I boosted them both up into my truck’s passenger seat. Diesel promptly leaped onto the dash, his favorite place to ride, and I stroked his cute, furry face.
As I buckled Kassia in, she stared down at my hands, her face pinkening. I loved when that happened; it showed she was as hyperaware of me and my actions as I was with hers.
“Soon, love.” My words were a promise. I gave her a lingering kiss while Diesel jumped into her lap and licked my chin.
“You’re so much bigger than me,” she said with a laugh. “Look at you. I have to climb into the vehicle while you’re level with me standing on the ground. All I can say is that it’s a good thing orcs didn’t want to invade us when they emerged from the cave in that mountain.”
“No, we only want to mate with you.” After another quick kiss, I went around and climbed into the driver’s seat. Starting the vehicle, I pulled it out of the parking lot and onto the main road.
Diesel jumped, placing his front paws on the passenger door, his head barely reaching the window. His curved tail swished back and forth, and he woofed at the people and orcs we passed.
“How long will it take to reach the orc kingdom?” Kassia asked. “I can’t wait to see what it’s like.”
I shot her a smile. “You’re going to be amazed. Once we reach the mountain, we’ll have to walk part of the way, then ride deep below the surface in a vehicle on rails. As for how long it’ll take to get from where we leave the truck, an hour or so.”
“I’ve only read a bit about the orc kingdom, but it makes sense most of you settled in this nearby valley. You’re still close to home if you change your minds and want to return.”
“Not me. I love it here. I’m happy to visit, but I’m not staying inside the mountain. Sunlight’s amazing.”
“It’s dark there?”
“Not really. We have natural lighting, though it’s not the same. You’ll see.”
The truck bumped along the road, taking us out of town and up the winding passage through the enormous mountains.
Kassia stared out the window, watching the trees whiz by, pointing out pretty meadows and dense forests as we climbed higher into the mountains. Eventually, I parked the truck in a big lot full of others like it.
“From here, we walk,” I said.
I got out of the vehicle and went around to her side, lifting her easily to the ground.
She placed Diesel on the pavement, keeping a tight grip on his leash. He sniffed the air and woofed at an orc climbing into the truck next to ours.
I slung her bag over my shoulder.
“You didn’t bring anything?” she asked.
“My rooms will have all I need.” I took her hand and led her up the steep hill with Diesel trotting beside us, pausing here and there to pee or sniff the grass.
Orcs passed us, coming downhill. Diesel sniffed them, too.
Dense forest surrounded the path.
“I can’t believe humans never discovered the entrance to the orc kingdom,” Kassia said.
“We hid it well until we joined your world. Now the path is a pedestrian freeway leading up to the big cave opening.”
“Do you have dogs in the orc kingdom?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No pets at all.”
