This book had been written byorcs. In their supposedly primitive, supposedly savageblack-tongue.
And in all Rosa’s endless reading about orcs, there hadn’t been a single mention of black-tongue ever being a written language, let alone one so complex as this, and she watched her shaky finger trace along the page, feeling the imprints of the script in the thin vellum. A real language, entirely unknown to humans.Here, under her fingers.
“Here you are, Lady Captain, Lady Rosa-Ka,” interrupted the orc. “Shall I not pack this book for you? I am sure John-Ka should wish for this, for his mate’s comfort on her journey.”
He was giving Rosa a broad, sharp-toothed smile, which was so thoroughly alarming that it took a moment for the rest of his words to burrow into her thoughts. “John-Kawould wish this?” she echoed, her voice faint, “for hismate?”
“Ach, yes,” the orc replied, with another eager, terrifying smile. “John-Ka always takes good care for his own. A lucky woman, you are. You shall be kept safe, and fat, and content.”
His eye did something toward Rosa that might have been meant as a wink, but she could only seem to stare, dumbfounded, as her hands fluttered down to grip at the counter between them. “Um,” she said, “I shall?”
“Ach, yes,” the orc insisted, as though this were entirely obvious. “John-Ka shall wish to take special care of his mate. He is the last of the Ka, so he shall wish for a strong son. Or many, should the gods be so kind.”
That was said with a meaningful, lingering glance at Rosa’s waist, drawing her faltering hand toward it, while her other hand kept gripping at the counter. “I think you’re — misinformed,” she said. “I am not John’smate. We are only — unfortunate acquaintances.”
The surprise in the orc’s eyes wasn’t at all put-upon, and gave way to confusion as he slid a neatly wrapped package across the counter toward her. “Do you yet wait for him to speak vows?” he asked, his head tilting. “We Ka-esh do not oft offer these. One’s mouth may speak any number of empty words, but one’s acts speak only truth.”
His hand waved up and down Rosa’s form, as if to say, look, here is the proof of this — and Rosa glanced down, following his hand, to find — oh. She was still wearing John’stunic.
“But that’s just,” she stammered, and looked to Jule for help. “It was just aloan. Because he tore mydress.”
But the orc only appeared even more confused than before, and beside Rosa Jule made a face that was half-wincing, half-amused. “Thank you so much, Hanarr,” she said, as she reached to take the wrapped package, leaving the beautiful little book on the counter. “And please, put all this to John’s account, will you?”
The orc nodded, and Jule ushered Rosa out of the room, and back into the corridor. And as they began walking again, Rosa fought to drag her attention away from Hanarr’s baffling claims, and instead to the truly fascinating mountain all around her. The smooth carved walls, the surprisingly high ceiling, the twists and turns that actually seemed to follow the grain of the mountain’s rock, perhaps to ensure its structural integrity…
But despite all her efforts, Rosa’s thoughts kept escaping her, and whirling back to where she least wanted them to go. ToJohn. The last of the Ka, whatever that meant. His warm hands, his watching eyes, the unnerving stiff menace of his big body looming in the doorway. I have kept you safe, I have tended you, one’s acts speak only truth…
But no, no,no. Rosa had given him a chance to explain. She’d given him chances again and again, she’d believed him, she’d trusted him with her entirefuture— and in return he’d mocked and scorned her, called her a silly little woman, we do whatever we wish with you…
There was wetness welling again in Rosa’s eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks, and she impatiently dashed it away with a shaky hand. She had to suck it up, and move on. She had to find a way. She had to deal with his — hisson, and then…
She reeled backwards, her heart pummelling her ribs — because somehow, suddenly, John washere. His huge form whirling to life in the corridor before Rosa and Jule, blocking their path, that sweet smell of him unfurling through the air.
“This woman cannot yet leave here,” John hissed, his angry eyes flicking between Rosa and Jule. “She yet bears my seed, and is liable toperishif she is allowed to birth my son. She is far too small to bear this.”
Rosa’s eyes were blankly blinking at his shadowed face, the fear lurching high and wide — yes, yes, this was true, this was why she had come to this damned mountain in the first place — but beside her, Jule only snorted and kept walking, steering her around John’s stiff, looming form.
“Well, John, maybe you should have thought of that before you touched her,” Jule snapped back, over her shoulder. “Aren’t you supposed to be the clever orc around here?”
Rosa felt herself wince, darting a foolish, furtive glance back to where John was still standing there in the middle of the corridor. Looking undeniably enraged, his eyes glittering, his hands clenched to fists at his sides.
“This womanwishedfor this,” he snapped, and he lunged to catch up again, his huge body almost vibrating with tension as he began striding close beside Rosa. “Do not deny this, woman. You wished to come here. You wished for anorc.”
The last came out with a vindictive bitterness, clenching something deep and painful in Rosa’s belly, but on her other side Jule rolled her eyes, and kept walking. “And now she doesn’t,” she shot back. “Shocking, John, truly. Better luck next time.”
A low, sustained growl burned from John’s throat, which Jule entirely disregarded, in favour of enthusiastically waving at something down the corridor. “Baldr!” she called. “Come, and meet Rosa.”
Rosa twitched all over, because yes, it was yet another huge, hulking orc, jogging toward them — but upon closer inspection, this one wasn’t quite as alarming as some of the others had been. His scars were shallower, his greenish face a bit younger-looking, and as he approached he smiled at Rosa, warm and genuine, setting his dark eyes sparkling.
“Greetings, new Ka-esh woman,” he said, with a fluid little bow. “Welcome to our mountain. I am Baldr of Clan Grisk, left hand to our captain. How may I serve you?”
His eyes had cast a telltale glance between John and Jule, betraying more awareness than his affable exterior suggested, and Jule grimaced, and jerked her head toward Rosa. “Rosa is travelling back to Dusbury today,” she said, “and she’ll require an escort. I’m currently not in a position to leave the mountain” — she waved down at her swollen waist — “especially with those horrid men lurking about, so would you mind accompanying her, Baldr? You and Drafli, perhaps?”
John’s growl was steadily rising, but Baldr didn’t seem to notice, his eyes unflinching on Jule’s. “Ach, woman, I am happy to go. I shall fetch Drafli, and return at once.”
With that, he gave another polite little bow, before turning and jogging back down the corridor. While beside Rosa, John’s big body seemed to loom even larger, closer, his rage and agitation almost shuddering into her skin.
“My woman shallnot,” he spat at Jule, “go away alone, with aSkai!”
