Page 116 of Dark & Dreadful Brutes

She frowned. “Ravv will be distracted if you’re close.”

“After what happened the last time we were separated, he’ll be more distracted if we’re apart.” I lifted a shoulder, trying not to let my mind wander back to the roof.

It wandered anyway, and a shudder rolled through me.

She looked a bit concerned. “Are you okay?”

I forced a smile. “I’m fine. When do we attack?”

“We’re waiting for the king to give us a day and time.” She glanced at Ravv as he sat down beside us again.

He studied me for a long moment before looking back to her and saying, “Tomorrow morning, at dawn.”

“I’ll spread the word.” She gave me another quick hug before leaving.

There were others in the dining room, but none of them were staring at us. Or at least, I hoped they weren’t.

“You look upset,” Ravv said, his forehead creased.

“It’s nothing.” I brushed hair out of my eyes, and he narrowed his at me. “My mind just went back to the roof.” My fingers brushed my neck, where the wound no longer existed. His blood had healed it while I was suffering the poison’s effects, but I was starting to think I’d be able to feel it for the rest of my life anyway.

His gaze darkened. “You’re not scared someone else will hurt you?”

“No. I think you’re having everyone checked and rechecked for cult involvement.” I squeezed his hand, and he calmed slightly. “I just need a distraction, I guess.”

My mind went back to our bedroom, and my cheeks flushed at the idea of spending a few more hours that way.

I certainly wouldn’t complain.

We had been so focused on looking for the hidden cultists that we hadn’t had much time to get to know each other’s bodies. There had to be some things we hadn’t tried…

“If you want to go back to the river and attempt to break the magic on the rocks, the answer is no,” Ravv said.

“I do want to try that, but not today.” I leaned closer to him, and he tilted his head so I could whisper into his ear. “I was thinking maybe you can teach me something new?” I flashed him a mental image of me with my mouth on his cock earlier.

His eyes flashed. “How new?”

“Surprise me.”

His lips curved upward wickedly, and he stood, pulling me to my feet with him.

Ravv slipped his fingers between mine and towed me down the hallway.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

I wanted to insist on an answer… but I was too excited to risk spoiling it, so I stayed quiet.

Our shoulders brushed as we walked side by side, alone in the hallway as we went deeper into the castle.

We turned a corner, and the smooth, even walls of the hall slowly began to grow rougher and change shape.

“I’m going to need an explanation before I start to feel like you’re about to murder me,” I murmured to Ravv.

He barked out a laugh, and my lips curved upward a bit. “There are caverns beneath the castle—magical ice caves that run hundreds of miles below the surface. They stretch beneath the Glittering Sea and continue below the mountain range of the Weeping Skies. A few branches even continue below the Endless Wilds and can take you all the way to the Aching Chasm, if you know how to navigate them.”

My eyes widened. “How do you navigate them?”

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