“Foolish woman,” the orc snarled, his face and voice scathing, and he rose to his feet, abruptly enough that the stool clattered sideways to the floor behind him. “I ought never to have touched you thus. Not only do you fail your priceless library, and sell your cheap favours to any who ask, but you wield no sense and no reason! I offer youlife, and yet you dare to stand here, and refuse to welcome this?!”
There was no answering, no arguing with his tall bellowing form, and in two smooth, loping steps he closed the space between them, looming close and powerful over her. “My son,” he hissed, “shall tear you in two, woman. He shall rip you apart, and you shall die screaming and in agony. And as much as I might welcome this fate for one so foolish as you, I have sworn to help you, so now I am bound to this, and toyou!”
The terror and the revulsion swarmed all at once, choked and desperate and sickening, mashing wildly, mercilessly, against the visions of last night. His body driving into her, his claws so gentle on her neck, she was a fool, he would welcome this fate, he would truly rather shedied,screaming, in agony —
“No,” Rosa breathed. “Iwilldie, asshole, before I’ll be bound toanythingwith a cruel, violent, self-absorbed beast like you. You may consider your obligation complete, and our unfortunate acquaintance permanently ended.Farewell.”
10
Rosa rushed through the library, her face smarting and hot, her steps staggering and sideways. She bore an orc’s seed, she might bear his son, and he wanted her todie.
She grasped at the front door, yanking hard upon it — but it only rattled in place, and remained firmly shut. And when her trembly fingers went to tug at the familiar latch, it was to the chilling, heart-stopping realization that it was —changed. The thick steel bent sharply sideways against the door, ensuring that no one could get in, or out.
Rosa stared at it for a long, pounding moment — the orc had done this, he’dblockedherin— and then backed her body away, shaking her head. No. No. There had to be another way, she would go out the back instead, and if he’d blocked that too she’d climb out a damned window —
But as she whirled around, her bare foot slipped on something — something flat and smooth, that hadn’t been there before. And when her badly trembling fingers reached down to grasp for it, flipping it over, there was another jolt of chaos, surging up her spine.
It was a letter. From Lord Kaspar. Toher.
Lord Kaspar had never before written Rosa in his life — gentlemen did not write letters to their library staff — but there was no mistaking the neat angled script, or the distinctive red wax seal, or the fact that Rosa had found it here, straight under the letter slot. And after another instant’s staring at it, she snatched it up, broke the seal, and snapped the letter open.
Dearest Rosa, it said.You shall be gladdened to hear that my work on the project we discussed has reached the ear of the Citadel in Wolfen. My father and I shall soon present my findings to the Council itself, which has promised considerable resources toward fulfilling our plans, if they are deemed satisfactory.
I am sure it does not need to be said that this project is now of prime importance, risking not only my reputation on a grand scale, but the resources and plans of the entire realm — many of which have already been set into motion, in preparation for my forthcoming revelations.
I shall expect your best work on my behalf, and I grant you my permission to take whatever measures are required to accomplish this, even should they result in the temporary closure of the library.
I shall return on the first day of the month to receive your report; if it meets my standards, I shall compensate you accordingly, as promised. And should your work truly impress, I shall also consider significant additional rewards, beyond any yet discussed, which are sure to be highly pleasing to you.
However, if you disappoint me, I shall be obliged to take drastic measures — including your immediate departure from the library without a reference, and the appointment of a replacement better suited to my needs.
Do not fail me.
The letter was signed not only with Lord Kaspar’s familiar scrawl, but again with his seal as well. Suggesting the deep, dire importance of this appalling missive, and Rosa’s frantic eyes read it again, and again. Until her hands holding it began shaking so badly that she could no longer follow the lines, and she let her hand fall back to her side, her eyes staring at nothing.
The Citadel. The Council. Considerable resources, prime importance, your best work, do not disappoint me.
And then, that teasing, tantalizing promise of significant additional rewards, weighed against that clear, shocking threat. A threat that Lord Kaspar had previously hinted at, of course — in truth, it had always underpinned their entire acquaintance — but he had never before spelled it out so boldly, or so cruelly. Your immediate departure, without a reference.
And that, Rosa knew, would destroy all her scholarly aspirations. It would ruin any chance she might have of finding work at another library or university. It would mean the sure, certain end of all she had ever cared for, or longed for. The end of herlife.
But then, hanging so precariously on the opposite side, was that promise. I shall compensate you. I shall consider significant additional rewards, beyond any yet discussed. Sure to be highly pleasing to you.
And what the hell didthatmean? Financial, no question, but highly pleasing as well? Hinting at something more intimate, more personal, and Rosa’s thoughts tumbled wildly backwards, to a day months before, when she and Lord Kaspar had spent an entire afternoon researching and discussing one of his projects, followed by a full evening in bed. And afterwards, holding her sated body close against his, he’d said, You know, Rosa, were my situation different, I should rather enjoy having you for a wife. We should make clever children, don’t you think?
Rosa squeezed her eyes shut, but the vision only raced louder, faster through her brain. Lord Kaspar impressing the Council would surely come with money, favour, acclaim. And if the resulting war against the orcs was successful, even more so. It would gain Lord Kaspar the kind of standing he’d always longed after, without any need whatsoever for Lady Scall.
Rosa’s numb body finally, jerkily moved for the familiar lending desk, which — she stared blankly down toward it — had somehow been tidied again, all her orc resources stacked just as they had been. But she couldn’t even find space to think about that at the moment, and she shoved the letter into the book on top of the pile, and put her aching head into her hands.
This was her chance. This was thedream. And all she had to do, to save her future, was to discover an impossible motive for an impossible war, in a useless pile of bullshit sources. Before Lord Kaspar returned, inthree fucking weeks.
There was no way. None. Except…
Rosa twitched all over at the faint, purposeful noise from the back of the library — and then again at the distinctive sound of the wood floor creaking. And when she blinked up, through bleary, watery eyes, there was the orc. Striding straight toward her with purpose on his face, and a book still clenched in his clawed hand.
Rosa’s body seemed to back away on its own, pressing flat against the wall behind her, while her breaths came shallow and thin, her hands clutching at the blanket still tied around her shoulders. This awful orc still had her trapped. He still wanted herdead. And maybe he’d realized just how easy that would be, how it could perhaps solve all his problems at once…
And truly, Rosa thought dully, maybe that would be the easiest solution for her, too. A quick, painless death, rather than a thoroughly ruined future, or an excruciating demise while birthing this asshole’sson…
