Page 143 of The Orc Chief's Baker
Because she’d never reallywantedit.
Trinia stopped fighting.
Ronhold blinked in shock as Trinia took a step away from him.
“No. I won’t marry your son, Ronhold.”
The man’s brows furrowed into a tight scowl. “You’ll loseeverything.”
She would. She’d lose her livelihood. Her home. The place where she’d made so many memories.
Memories with a mother she loved so dearly. The feeling of safety and security. The feeling of home she’d once felt here... all of that was already gone.
It was gone the day her mother died.
“This bakery... hasn’t ever really been mine,” Trinia said quietly.
“What was that, girl?”
Trinia met his eyes. “I said it’s never been mine. I worked it out ofduty. Because my father and sister needed me to. Because this was where my mother was, and I only ever wanted to be with her. But she’s gone. And she’s not coming back, no matter how much I toil here.”
“So, you’re just going to give up her legacy?” Ronhold snapped, waving the book at her. “The legacy of your whole family will be lost because of you.”
“I’m notlosinganything, Ronhold,” Trinia said calmly. “My father already did that.Heis the one who lost it.”
“And I’m giving you the opportunity to have it back!” Ronhold cried. “I’m being generous and you’re spitting in my face!”
“Generosity?” Trinia chuckled. “Is that what forcing me into servitude is?” Ronhold’s face was beet red as he sputtered. Trinia continued. “Evenifsome might consider your offer to be generous, I still wouldn’t take it. I won’t continue to labor at something I don’t enjoy. That’s not what my mother would have wanted for me.”
“This is your last chance, girl!” Ronhold raged so loudly she could smell the sour stink on his breath. “If you don’t agree, I willneverlet you set foot in this bakery again!”
That should have spiked fear in her. Fear and sorrow and grief.
And instead, her chest lightened with . . .relief.
“Then I’d better finish gathering my clothes.” Trinia turned toward her cabinets. “Or will you try to say those belong to you too?”
But as she stepped away, Ronhold snatched up her arm and held it so tight she yelped in pain.
“You think you can make a fool of me, girl!” he bellowed in her face. “You’ve seen what I do to people who stand in my way.”
“I have.” Trinia tried to yank out of his grip, but it was too strong. “And it’s shown me I’d rather be destitute than work with someone who could be so savage.”
“Youwillobey me!” Ronhold raged. His eyes were bloodshot. “You will marry my son and bake my goods and you will beglad for it.”
In a flash of green, a force pulled Ronhold back. Trinia was yanked and nearly toppled as her arm was wrenched out of the vile man’s grip. A thunderous crash sounded as Ronhold was pinned to the wall.
By Brovdir.
Trinia blinked in shock at the sight of the man going deathly pale in the face of Brovdir’s snarling countenance. Her recipe book fell out of his hands and hit the floor with a hard thud.
Her shoulder was gripped tight and Yerina appeared at her side, holding her. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”
The concern on Yerina’s face was so startling Trinia almost couldn’t process it.
“What is going on here?”
The headman’s booming voice sounded loudly as a deadly quiet fell over the room. Only Ronhold’s gasping could be heard. His face was going bright red as he scrambled against Brovdir’s chokehold.
