Read Online Lorik The Defender (The Lorik Trilogy) by Toby Neighbors - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Toby Neighbors
Tags: Sci Fi & Fantasy
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had never been because he loved her. He had never truly loved any woman, but now he felt feelings that were so strong he wasn't sure how to cope with them. He wanted to be with Issalyn, and not just for a night. He wanted to make her happy, to give her everything she could possibly want. He wanted to share every high and low of his life with her. And he never wanted to be apart from her, but that was just a feeling and he knew reality was much too harsh to let him live in peace or happiness.
"I must go," he said, pulling away from her embrace.
"You don't want to stay?" Issalyn said, the hurt in her eyes all too easy for Lorik to see.
"I do, Issalyn," he said, using her name for the first time, "which is why I must go. I will not insult you or besmirch your honor."
"I don't care about any of that," Issalyn said. "We don't have much time, Lorik. We must make every moment count."
"I know," Lorik said. "But there is too much at stake for us to be careless now. What if your husband lives? What if word reaches King Ricard that you have taken a lover?"
"You are more than just a lover," she said. "I want to be with you. I don't care about anything else."
"But we must care," Lorik explained. "We believe that King Oveer is dead, but we have no proof. If King Ricard fears that by helping us he is betraying your husband, he may withhold his aide."
"I still don't care," she said, pulling close to his massive body. "I have never wanted anything as much as I want you."
"Nor I you, but we must not let down the people who are depending on us."
"You spurn my love," she said, finally letting him go.
She turned away from him, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.
"No, I cherish it. I will honor it with my strength as well as my passion," he assured her.
She turned back to him and there were tears trickling down her cheeks.
"I have never met anyone like you," she said. "I will wait for you."
Lorik smiled. He didn't know that words could make him so happy. He nodded and then stepped out of the tent into the cold evening air. It took all his strength not to return to the warmth of the tent and the fiery passion of the queen's arms, but he forced himself to walk away. He knew that there was work to be done. People were depending on him and he vowed not to let them down.
Chapter 7
Lorik knew he didn’t have much time. He stopped by an area of the camp that had been set aside for cooking meals. Most of the food was prepared in large quantities so that the meager supplies could be used in the most efficient manner. Vera had discovered that it was easier to distribute meals than to try and divide the food evenly between all the refugees. It also made theft of food much more difficult and kept the urge to horde supplies from ruining the camp.
Lorik was given a small loaf of bread, some cheese and fruit. The evening meal wasn’t finished cooking and he couldn’t wait. He ate the food as he walked toward the massive trees of the Wilderlands. When he’d first come to the border and saw the massive trees that rose up hundreds of feet into the air, he’d been mystified. And his first night in the Wilderlands had been frightening to say the least. But now the giant trees and the thick canopy high overhead was inviting to Lorik. He knew the forest the way a man knew the place he’d grown up. Lorik hadn’t had the opportunity to explore the Wilderlands the way a child explored the land around their home, but he felt the same feelings of safety and rest as he entered the darkened wood.
It was late, but the sun had not fully set. The Wilderlands were dark, but the fine mist that rose up from the roots of the ancient trees had not yet appeared. Lorik finished his light fare, and then he began to run. He jogged at first, weaving around the massive trunks of the redwood trees and skipping over the gnarly roots that snaked out along the ground. It felt good to be
"I must go," he said, pulling away from her embrace.
"You don't want to stay?" Issalyn said, the hurt in her eyes all too easy for Lorik to see.
"I do, Issalyn," he said, using her name for the first time, "which is why I must go. I will not insult you or besmirch your honor."
"I don't care about any of that," Issalyn said. "We don't have much time, Lorik. We must make every moment count."
"I know," Lorik said. "But there is too much at stake for us to be careless now. What if your husband lives? What if word reaches King Ricard that you have taken a lover?"
"You are more than just a lover," she said. "I want to be with you. I don't care about anything else."
"But we must care," Lorik explained. "We believe that King Oveer is dead, but we have no proof. If King Ricard fears that by helping us he is betraying your husband, he may withhold his aide."
"I still don't care," she said, pulling close to his massive body. "I have never wanted anything as much as I want you."
"Nor I you, but we must not let down the people who are depending on us."
"You spurn my love," she said, finally letting him go.
She turned away from him, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.
"No, I cherish it. I will honor it with my strength as well as my passion," he assured her.
She turned back to him and there were tears trickling down her cheeks.
"I have never met anyone like you," she said. "I will wait for you."
Lorik smiled. He didn't know that words could make him so happy. He nodded and then stepped out of the tent into the cold evening air. It took all his strength not to return to the warmth of the tent and the fiery passion of the queen's arms, but he forced himself to walk away. He knew that there was work to be done. People were depending on him and he vowed not to let them down.
Chapter 7
Lorik knew he didn’t have much time. He stopped by an area of the camp that had been set aside for cooking meals. Most of the food was prepared in large quantities so that the meager supplies could be used in the most efficient manner. Vera had discovered that it was easier to distribute meals than to try and divide the food evenly between all the refugees. It also made theft of food much more difficult and kept the urge to horde supplies from ruining the camp.
Lorik was given a small loaf of bread, some cheese and fruit. The evening meal wasn’t finished cooking and he couldn’t wait. He ate the food as he walked toward the massive trees of the Wilderlands. When he’d first come to the border and saw the massive trees that rose up hundreds of feet into the air, he’d been mystified. And his first night in the Wilderlands had been frightening to say the least. But now the giant trees and the thick canopy high overhead was inviting to Lorik. He knew the forest the way a man knew the place he’d grown up. Lorik hadn’t had the opportunity to explore the Wilderlands the way a child explored the land around their home, but he felt the same feelings of safety and rest as he entered the darkened wood.
It was late, but the sun had not fully set. The Wilderlands were dark, but the fine mist that rose up from the roots of the ancient trees had not yet appeared. Lorik finished his light fare, and then he began to run. He jogged at first, weaving around the massive trunks of the redwood trees and skipping over the gnarly roots that snaked out along the ground. It felt good to be
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