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“I Don’t Want to Marry an Orc!”
The Orc Emperor’s throne is made of skulls and bones.
That’s the first thing I notice when the Orc guards force me to my knees before it, along with every other woman who signed up for the Registry.
“I don’t want to marry an Orc!” A woman farther down the row starts sobbing. “The Registry promised me a Fae King!”
Truth is, I hadn’t wanted to enlist for this human bride stuff myself.
Getting auctioned off to a Middle Realm paranormal had been the best of three extremely crappy options after I got portaled into this world via the last novel in Clara Quinn’s Seasons of the Fae series.
Grak, the enormous Orc General, comes to stand in front of us, his lip curled between his tusks, as if he’s smelled something foul.
“Registry Brides will not speak to Emperor unless spoken to,” he informs us. “Registry Brides will not look Emperor directly in eye…”
His gaze lands on me, the Complainer, who dared to question the weird eye-contact rule the first time he tried to go over it with us.
“Among Orcs, direct eye contact is challenge. Emperor will remove head of any Registry Bride foolish enough to issue such challenge.”
Another warning look gets shot my way.
“If Emperor wishes to inspect Bride, Emperor will lift Bride’s face. Registry Bride’s eyes must remain lowered during Emperor's inspection.”
His hard gaze sweeps over all of us this time.
“Do not challenge Emperor.”
Suddenly, a sound like a war horn crossed with an electric guitar blasts through the hall.
“Heads down! Emperor approaches!”
No more questions from me. Lesson learned. Thoroughly. I drop my head along with all the other human women in the row.
Silence falls.
Then…
CLOMP… CLOMP… CLOMP…
Heavy boots cross the stone floor toward the end of the line.
CLOMP…
He’s inspecting us one by one…
CLOMP…
Getting closer and closer to where I’m kneeling in the middle of the line.
Panic rises in my chest.
CLOMP…
But then my ex-boyfriend’s voice crawls out of my memory.
“You let yourself go. Did you really expect me not to cheat—with somebody I could actually stomach?”
CLOMP…
