Page 50 of The Orc's Promised Bride

His features were still contorted, the muscles in his neck standing out with the strain of his control.

“I-I overheard him talking to a woman in the garden.”

“One of the Brides?”

Relieved that he had regained enough control to listen to her, she hurried on.

“Yes. They are both working for Lasseran.”

He snarled and raised a clawed hand again.

“But he didn’t hurt me,” she added hastily.

Even when he was pulling her through the forest, he hadn’t been needlessly rough. That had given her a sliver of hope, enough to talk to him.

“Why are you doing this?” Her voice came out steadier than she expected.

A muscle twitched in his jaw, but he kept walking, forcing her to stumble along beside him. Thick forest surrounded them - so different from the manicured gardens of the convent. Birds called overhead and leaves rustled in the breeze, but the sounds felt distant and unreal.

“You heard something you shouldn’t have,” he said finally. His voice was surprisingly cultured despite his fierce appearance. “My mission is too important to risk exposure.”

“What mission could be worth harming an innocent woman?”

The words burst out before she could stop them. Whatever the Bride intended, she was sure it wouldn’t end well for Jessamin unless she could prevent it.

His grip tightened briefly, then relaxed.

“Innocence has nothing to do with it. The High King’s plans cannot be disrupted by some arranged marriage.”

She stumbled over another root, but he kept her upright and prevented her from falling. The forest seemed to close in around them, but she forced herself to stay focused, to push back against the memories threatening to overwhelm her.

“What plans?”

“To unite these lands under one ruler. He will not allow a foolish rebellion to interfere,” Khorrek said, his voice flat and emotionless. “His word is law.”

The certainty in his voice reminded her of the cult elders. She swallowed hard, gathering her courage.

“What’s so rebellious about wanting a bride?”

“It was forbidden. If the Gods have decided the time of the orcs is at an end, then we should not interfere.” He pulled her around a fallen tree, his movements precise and controlled. “The High King sent me to stop these foolish attempts.”

She studied his profile, noting the rigid set of his scarred jaw, the way he avoided looking directly at her. His words echoed with the same blind acceptance she’d heard countless times before.

“Do you always follow orders so blindly?” Her voice came out softer than she intended, tinged with sympathy rather than accusation.

Khorrek’s stride faltered for a moment. His grip on her arm loosened slightly before tightening again. The muscle in his jaw twitched but he didn’t answer.

“The High King sees what is best for the Five Kingdoms.” His voice carried less conviction than before. “He will do whatever it takes to maintain control. Without his leadership, there would be chaos.”

The words sounded rehearsed, as if he’d repeated them to himself countless times. She recognized the pattern - she’d heard similar justifications in the cult, had even repeated some herself before she’d learned to think for herself.

“I know what happens when people blindly follow orders.” The bitterness in her voice surprised even her. “When they stop questioning whether something is right or wrong and just do what they’re told.”

His eyes met hers for a moment, and she caught a glimpse of uncertainty there before he looked away.

“Someone always gets hurt. Usually the ones who can’t fight back.” Her voice shook as memories washed over her. “And the people giving the orders don’t care about the damage they cause. They only care about control.”

Khorrek’s grip on her arm loosened slightly again, but this time he didn’t tighten it. His stride remained steady, but she could see the tension in his body. Despite the flicker of doubt she’d seen, he seemed determined to carry out his plan.

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