Page 33 of The Orc's Captive Bride
Silence stretched like a blade.
Then Lasseran laughed. The sound was beautiful and horrible and completely devoid of genuine amusement.
“Oh, I am going to enjoy this.” He turned away, moving back towards the door. “Khorrek will escort you to the library where the text is kept. You’ll have access to whatever resources you require. My entire collection is at your disposal.”
“How generous.”
“Isn’t it?” He paused at the door, glancing back over his shoulder. “One more thing, Dr. Monroe. Just so we understand each other completely.” His voice went flat, but it was far more terrifying if he’d screamed at her. “You will succeed in this task. Failure is not an option I’m prepared to entertain. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” Her voice came out as a whisper. “I understand.”
“Excellent.” The smile returned, cold and charming and utterly false. “I look forward to your findings. Khorrek?” He gestured at the orc. “She is your responsibility now. See that she has everything she needs.”
Khorrek crossed his fist over his chest. “Yes, High King.”
Lasseran swept from the room like royalty departing a stage, leaving silence and the scent of expensive perfume in his wake along with the faintest hint of decay.
The lock clicked behind him.
She stood frozen, her heart hammering against her ribs, and discovered that her hands were shaking. She pressed them against her sides, trying to stop the tremors.
Evil.The word echoed in her mind. Not an academic concept, but a living, breathing presence that wore a beautiful face and spoke in cultured tones. And she was trapped in his palace, at his mercy, with a task she didn’t know if she could complete and consequences she didn’t want to imagine if she failed.
“Thea.”
Khorrek’s voice was a low rumble that made her jump. She’d almost forgotten he was there. She turned to look at him, really look at him, past the armor and the size that made him seem like he could crush her with one hand.
His eyes met hers, dark and ashamed.
My orcs are different. Trained to be useful.
The words must have cut like knives, but he’d just stood there silently.
“Are you all right?” The question came out before she could think better of it, and he blinked, surprise flickering across his features.
“I… yes.”
“He shouldn’t speak to you like that.”
“He is the High King.”
“That doesn’t give him the right—” She stopped herself. This wasn’t the fight to pick right now, not when she was still processing her encounter with the most terrifying person she’d ever met. “Never mind.”
But Khorrek was staring at her like she’d grown a second head.
“You defended my people,” he said slowly. “To the High King.”
“I stated an academic fact.”
“You contradicted him.”
“I…” She sighed and pushed her glasses up again. “It was stupid. I know. I just… I couldn’t…”
She trailed off, unable to articulate the rage that had flooded her when Lasseran had spoken about the orcs like they were animals. When he’d hurt Khorrek with such casual cruelty.
He took a step closer, then another, until he was standing directly in front of her, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes.
“That was the bravest and most foolish thing I have ever witnessed,” he said quietly.
