The Heartstone Saga by Archibald Bradford (short novels in english .TXT) 📕

were any Ogres there, they are long gone. Along with who knows how many other monster girls.”

Tora sniffled at the mention of her clan. The simple girl hadn’t been able to follow everything that they had talked about, but by now she at least knew that the Aegis genuinely wanted to help her.

Without really thinking about it Nameless reached out and took her enormous hand with his, the giant smiling wide at him when he did.

Kriss’s eyes narrowed when she noticed the kindly gesture, but she didn’t make a thing of it. Not knowing anything about Tora’s clan, she’d only been able to answer a handful of questions about her mother Cass’s connection to Evadne, and even then the information she provided had more or less already been discovered by the Dragon Xalanth and Lady Essig when they were looking into Nameless’s past.

Finally they were dismissed, with instructions to temporarily board the Chameleon and the Ogre at the auction house where Nameless was assigned.

It wasn’t ideal as the place was already brimming with all of the monster girls who had come into the city seeking safety, but the building was built sturdily enough to accommodate a wide range of monster girls, including Ogres, even if they had never been seen in it.

After saying goodbye to Miranda and her bond-mates again, Nameless and his girls were soon alone with the two other monsters, and the questions that he so desperately needed answered began to bubble to the surface.

Not important questions, at least not in the grand scheme of things, but important to him.

Most of them circled around who Kriss was as a person, but the one he wanted answered the most was as simple as it was hard to articulate.

Do you have love in your life?

Having lived without it himself, Nameless knew how critical that was.

Soon they were on the ground floor of the auction house, Nameless and his bond-mates deftly avoiding the painfully nosy Ginger while they got Kriss and Tora settled in.

“You’ll be safe here.” Nameless promised; “We’ll figure out what comes next for you two later. Would you, uh, like something to eat?”

Since he’d yet to have lunch himself, it was all he could think to ask to keep the conversation going.

The Trog let out an unhappy hiss.

“I don’t need you to tell me what is next. And I don’t need you to take care of me.”

“And I don’t like people arguing with my mate.” Nina countered with a glare; “Be grateful you still have all your limbs.”

The grumpy lizard girl had made a very poor impression on the Gigas.

But Nameless interrupted before the two of them could start bickering again.

“Look, Kriss, I-we need to talk right? I mean, we’re family!”

Her eyes widened and her scales turned scarlet with ire at his words.

“We are not family.” She replied harshly; “My mother was my family. She is dead, and as far as I can tell, she is dead because of you.”

Milly and the others drew in a sharp breath when they felt the stab of pain from the harsh words through their bond with Nameless.

Even a few months ago such an accusation would have been devastating to him, but now he recovered quickly and replied without shame or hesitation.

“So is mine. And our father. And my friend. The number of people and monsters whose deaths you could hang around my neck isn’t a short list.”

He didn’t sound sad, only tired, but his Gigas felt differently.

“Start listing them and see what happens.” She grumbled, the building shaking slightly with her annoyance.

It was going to take her a long time to get over the Chameleon’s ambush, though she was more angry with herself for being so caught off guard.

Before anyone could debate further, Ophelia drifted over to Nameless’s side.

“Dearheart, why don’t we leave it at that for now? We can talk about all of this once everyone has had a chance to get settled.”

He was about to argue, but the unfriendly expression on the Trog’s face remained, so he allowed his bond-mates to lead him out of the room.

“Goodbye Tora.” Milly waved awkwardly just as the door closed behind her.

The Ogre, having silently fretted throughout the brief but tense conversation, waved back with an honest smile, though Milly didn’t catch it.

The pair of them now alone in the spacious room, Kriss watched as Tora sat on the massive bed.

The Chameleon frowned as she considered all of the things she had learned today, about herself, but also about her big blue friend.

“He seem nice.” The innocent monster suggested when she noticed the other girl’s attention.

Kriss sighed as she took off her sword harness and rolled her shoulders to loosen them.

“That... isn’t important.”

Suddenly Tora was giggling, as if the Trog had made a joke.

“Yes it do! It only thing portant! He nice. But he also sad. Yous be nicer to him!”

Once again the Ogre was behaving as if she was the one looking after Kriss.

The Trog made a noise in her throat but then her look turned contemplative.

“We were together for a number of days, why didn’t you tell me about your clan?”

The blue girl shrugged, her good mood evaporating at the reminder.

“Yous not ask. Yous always want go places, and I want follow.”

Her jaw began to tremble slightly, and Kriss sighed at the pitiful sight.

Without hesitating she held her arms out, and Tora brightened again as she pulled her into a much needed hug, the Trog’s legs and tail dangling as she was enveloped by the big girl’s cleavage.

“You still could have said something.” Kriss’s voice was muffled by blue tit-flesh, so it was easier for her to conceal that her words came out thick with emotion.

Tora had been a pain in her ass