Page 27 of My Orc Has Big Tusks
“The middle of five of you is better than the bottom.”
“That would be Greth. He thinks he’s a good cook, but he’s the only one who can tolerate what he makes.”
“Thanks for the tip.”
“Of course.”
We went inside and had lunch in the communal kitchen.
The six of us gathered around the table. Laina sat between Krem and me, her plate full of food.
“This is excellent,” she said after her first bite.
Krem beamed. “It’s a kingdom recipe.”
Traig didn’t look up from his tablet. “It’ll satisfy our hunger.”
Laina shook her head. “You’re underestimating him. It’s amazing.”
Traig made a note on his tablet before taking another bite, closing his eyes as he swallowed. “Alright, it’s…decent.”
Laina smiled. “You’re a tough critic.”
I grinned along with her.
Drogar leaned back in his chair. “Brovish has smiled eight times today. I counted.”
I nudged his side. “I smile.”
“Not like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like you mean it,” Krem said. “It’s the kind of smile where your tusks show.”
“Our tusks always show,” I said.
Greth grunted. “Laina is good for him.”
“Right here, guys,” Laina said, though I could tell she wasn’t irritated. Fortunately, she appeared to be enjoying their teasing.
Krem rose and gave her a formal bow. “We all apologize, don’t we?”
All of us nodded.
“Still, that’s a lot of smiling from our Brovish,” Krem said, sitting back down. “I think he…is suddenly very happy.”
“Cooper is doing well,” I said. “That’s why I’m happy.”
Drogar’s gaze fell on Laina who was, thankfully, focused on her meal. “There’s no other reason?”
“What other reason could there be?”
Drogar looked from me to Laina—who noticed.
Heat flooded my ears. My tusks felt too prominent, too visible. Laina sat close enough that I could smell the soap she used, and I was aware of my size in a way I hadn’t been since my first month on the surface. I was too big, too obvious, too much.
I should leave. I should stay. My body couldn’t decide which and locked in place.
