Page 124 of Dark & Dreadful Brutes

I could’ve sworn the Demon’s eyes locked with mine for a moment as Gleam cut through the middle of the army, carrying the assassin back toward the castle, and to the caves.

Though I hadn’t asked Ravv to spare him, I couldn’t help but wonder if he had heard something I said to Coarse… and if somehow, I had changed his mind.

Ravv apologized for the pain I would feel as he led the Demon into the caves with a dozen of his fiercest warriors. He wasn’t willing to leave them alone with the assassin, so I spent the day hunched over in bed, trying to breathe through the agony.

All of the men were between my king and the Demon constantly, at my insistence. I would’ve rather gone with them, but Ravv had snarled at me when I even suggested that.

It was a battle I knew I wouldn’t win with him, so I didn’t bother fighting about it.

We spoke through our bond nearly constantly, my second requirement to Ravv going underground. Though I didn’t want the assassin to die, I was still worried he would attack my king. Thankfully, he didn’t.

Outside of me and my pain, the rest of the kingdom had erupted in a roar of dancing and drinking in celebration. They considered the battle won, simply because no one had died. Their music shook the castle’s walls with its volume, and their drunken songs floated through the hallways at all hours.

Elwynne and Orvay stopped by to bring me food a few times throughout the day, seeming a little more drunk each time, but they were happy drunks. They apologized for my pain and asked me to join their revelry, but I refused every time.

When the suns went down, my pain still hadn’t eased, but Ravv was finally on his way back out of the caves. He growled at me to accept Elwynne and Orvay’s invitation for the sake of distraction. So, the next time they showed up, I let them drag me into the party.

Between the pain and the music, I couldn’t hear myself think at all. It was actually rather glorious. I accepted the first drink they gave me—and when it dulled my pain, I accepted a second, third, and fourth. I danced, sung, and celebrated, losing myself in the party.

Eventually, I collapsed on a couch, snuggled up with Elwynne while Orvay cuddled her from behind, and fell asleep.

I woke up to a familiar growl. “Who touched her?”

Veil, my head throbbed.

My stomach, too.

I looked down at myself to see if I looked as if I’d been touched.

Normal black dress.

Normal red-orange hair.

Normal breasts, no nipples hanging out.

“I dunno. We all danced with everyone. It didn’t turn into an orgy or I would’ve gotten both of them out,” Orvay mumbled back, his voice insanely slurred.

He had been drinking longer than me, but I couldn’t imagine it was possible to feel any more terrible than I already did.

The pounding in my skull was getting even more painful.

I almost preferred the poison to the alcohol sickness.

I felt the bed shift beneath me—err, the couch?

Elwynne groaned and clutched me tighter. “No, Orr.”

“I’m behind you, Wynnie.” He patted her on the head.

She released me, rolling slowly and clumsily to face her lover.

“You reek, Lae,” Ravv said into my hair after he hauled me into his arms. My legs wrapped around his waist as he walked, and he held me close.

“My mom used to call me that,” I whispered.

“I know. Does it bother you when I use it?”

“No, I like it. It brings happy memories, not just sad ones.”

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