"I'm fine."
Her face scrunched up again.
A mailed fist banged on the door. "S'time."
"Wait." My sister rushed to the box she'd brought, pulled out a comb worked in silver, peonies etched down the side. She tucked it in my hair, and even she was wise enough to make sure that it was hidden. "For luck."
"We make our own luck." But I clasped her hand a second longer.
Her voice trembled. "I hope he's kind."
I thought of Khal Drazha's-son's snarling face, his insistence on avoiding annulment, and the attendant expectation that I would survive the night in his bed. "He is," I said. "For an orc."
The soldier actually laid a hand on me. "Time to go," he said.
Thea glared at him. "If I hear she's been hurt more, I will see to it you're punished." She was so unaccustomed to threats. My throat tightened at her trying to defend me, like a kitten facing a dog.
"Live well, Thea."
"Come on." The soldier pulled me. His grip on my arm was dismissive, not sadistic. But as we rounded a corner I still "accidentally" kicked his heel with my foot, let his movement pull his purse off of his belt into my hand to tuck into my waist pouch.
They were going to sell me. There was no need to act noble any longer.
The chapel had only the minister and the priest, a very few of my father's foot soldiers, and the orcs. The orc warriors looked wary, antagonistic, as if they were waiting every moment for our people to pointlessly run at them and die. I spotted Khal at the front near the small altar, talking to one of his men, a scowl etched between his brows.
The soldier kept his hold on me till we'd reached the front of the chapel. I pulled out of his grip. Khal's golden eyes caught this, and his frown deepened.
The minister's heel bounced in impatience. "All here. We can begin then."
My groom glowered. "Is your lord not attending his own daughter's ceremony?"
A tsk of irritation. "The baron has many affairs to put in order. He has sent me with his blessing."
The orc looked down at me. "And this is acceptable to you? Miss?"
His eyes were searing into me. It took me a moment to find my voice. "It's fine."
I would not think about what this meant, how thoroughly the man who’d dragged me off the Bowery streets had given up on making a daughter out of me.
My groom said something to the orcs, and they burst out in heated discussion. Arms were flying, chests and shoulders struck, growling words. Was this whole deal a plan to assassinate the baron? But if he'd been here surely the orcs knew they would be outnumbered;hewould not come without a decent guard. Khal roared something, and the rest quieted. He turned back to the minister. "We are ready to begin."
The priest began the ancient chants. Thea had taught me enough of the old tongue to follow. It was a plea for blessing on the covenant that was wrought, for notice on the righteous intent of the participants. We shared the chalice, repeated oaths. Khal was stoic, his companions visibly angry. We knelt, oil dabbed on our foreheads. The priest hesitated, just a moment, before touching Khal's brow.
"A room has been prepared for you." The baron's minister was already trying to retreat. "On the morrow, provisions will be provided so you and your coterie canleave."
The orc's words dripped acid. "Many thanks."
I hadn't beenin this wing of the baron's castle before. There was a great deal of debate and some grandstanding because they tried to separate off the rest of the orcs to stay in the courtyard, and the whole group seemed certain this was an attempted murder.
"You will not siphon us off within your walls, fish-skin!" wasthe line I'd remember, one of the orc guard screaming it at the minister, almost in my face.
Finally a compromise was reached, and a room was procured that was inside a sitting room, so the rest of the orcs could camp directly outside on the tables and couches. They made a circle, sitting on tables and the floor alike, and one started handing out rations from a bag. They would not eat our food.
I wondered who had been chased out of these rooms to allow for this sight. Whatever sniveling devotee it was, I did not pity them.
"Is this acceptable then?" The minister gritted it through his teeth.
Khal traded a few words with one of his men. "It's acceptable."
