Page 58 of The Savage Vow
Orlena braced for anger. Instead, Bula’s lips lifted into a sharp, approving smile. She shook her head and blew out a deep breath.
“That was brave—dangerous but brave,” Bula said quietly.
Warmth filled Orlena’s chest at the praise from Bula. She watched her unfold the paper and read. The air seemed to change immediately. The softness drained from Bula’s expression, replaced with cold fury. Her jaw tightened, then a curse slipped from her lips.
Orlena’s stomach dropped.
Something was wrong.
Bula swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up, the muscles in her back rigid. The parchment crinkled in her hand.
“That lying bastard.”
The venom in Bula’s voice had Orlena flinching. She had never seen Bula like this. There was something wild in her anger, something dangerous.
“What does it say?” Orlena tucked her legs beneath her. She swallowed hard, unsure if she truly wanted to hear what was written on the paper.
Bula remained silent and scanned the document again.
Dread coiled tight in Orlena’s chest. Her mind raced through the worst possibilities. A lifetime bound to Yambul. Endless solars of servitude. The fragile hope she had nurtured shuddered on the brink of collapse.
Bula dragged a hand down her face as if she had to restrain herself. When she turned to Orlena, there was a glint in her eyes that Orlena had never seen before.
“It says that your original contract ended five solars ago.”
The words that Bula spoke didn’t make any sense at first. They floated in the air, but there was a disconnect. Orlena frowned.
“Ended?” Orlena echoed.
“You were free,” Bula said. “Five solars ago. He added illegal clauses. False extensions. None of it is valid. He’s been holding you under a contract that no longer exists.”
Silence roared in Orlena’s ears, but there was one word she did hear.
Free.
The word expanded inside her where she almost couldn’t grasp the concept. She stared at Bula and searched her face for any sign of misunderstandings. There were none. Only anger on her behalf and a fierce, protective intensity that stalled her breathing.
“I…I’ve been free,” she whispered. She brought a hand to her mouth at the thought. She was free. No longer bound to the old orc. She could leave. “For five solars. I could have left?”
Bula nodded once.
A laugh bubbled up from Orlena’s chest. It spilled out of her, half sob, half joy. She pressed her hand to her mouth again, tears blurring her vision.
“I can leave,” she whispered. “I can actually leave.”
So many possibilities filled Orlena’s mind. Where would they go first? Energy surged through her. She threw back the blankets and leaped from the bed. Her heart raced a mile a minute. She was free.
“I need to pack,” she breathed. She looked around her small room. “I don’t have much, but I can…I can be ready quickly. We can leave tonight, or in the morning. I don’t care, I just?—”
She raced over to the chest and pulled it open. She snatched clothing out of it and held it to her chest. Her movements werefrantic. This was the moment she had been dreaming about since she was old enough to understand that she was bound by a contract.
She and Bula could be together. Truly together, wherever they chose to be.
Strong hands caught her shoulders.
“Orlena,” Bula said gently.
The urgency in her tone cut through the excitement. Orlena looked up, and her smile faltered. She tightened her grip on the clothing. Bula’s expression was serious. Her eyes were intense as she stood before Orlena.
