Page 46 of The Orc's Captive Bride
“That,” Vorlag said carefully, “is a question best not asked aloud in Kel’Vara.”
Lasseran. Or his ancestors. Someone who wanted to destroy an entire race.
“But the High King wants me to translate this text,” she said slowly, working through the implications. “If it contains information about the curse’s origins, about how it was created…”
“He believes he can perfect it—extend it.”
The room felt suddenly cold.
“He wants to curse more people.”
“Not exactly. He wants power, absolute power. And the Beast Curse, properly understood, would give him an army that cannot disobey. Cannot rebel. Cannot even think of freedom.”
Thea looked toward the door. Khorrek stood there, rigid and silent. Listening to every word.
Cannot think of freedom.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered. “I can’t give him that knowledge.”
“Then you will die.” Vorlag’s voice was gentle but unflinching. “And he will find someone else. Someone less ethical. Someone who will not question or hesitate.”
“So I’m damned either way.”
“No.” The old priest leaned forward. “You are clever. Creative. You see patterns others miss. Perhaps, in translating this text, you might find something unexpected. Something useful.”
“Like what?”
“Like a way to break the Curse entirely.”
A tiny flare of hope flickered.
“Is that possible?”
“I don’t know. But if anyone can discover it, I believe you can.”
She looked down at the ancient text. Whoever wrote this hadn’t wanted it to fall into the hands of Lasseran or someone like him.
Was it possible she could do both? Give Lasseran enough to satisfy him, while searching for the way to free the orcs. To free Khorrek.
“Then let’s do it properly,” she said. “Teach me everything you know—grammar, syntax, context.”
Vorlag’s smile deepened. “Now you sound like a scholar.”
“I am a scholar,” she said dryly. “Even in a world ruled by curses and kings.”
“Especially in such a world.”
They worked for hours. Vorlag’s knowledge was incomplete, but invaluable. And she absorbed everything he gave her with the same impossible speed. Characters started to make sense. Grammar patterns emerged. It was like watching a puzzle solve itself—her mind making connections faster than she could consciously process.
Magic.
No other explanation made sense, but she was too fascinated to be frightened anymore.
“This word here.” She pointed to a cluster of symbols. “It keeps appearing in conjunction with ‘balance’ and ‘harmony.’ I think it might mean ‘natural order’ or possibly ‘intended state.’”
“In the context of the Curse?”
“In the context of everything. Look.” She flipped back several pages. “The text isn’t just about the Curse. It’s about transformation. Evolution. The natural progression of magical beings.”
