Page 34 of Dark & Dreadful Brutes

My flames weren’t random, and Ravv knew that. They responded to my emotions, and nothing else.

I flashed him an annoyed look.

Elwynne eyed me curiously.

“How do you two know each other?” I asked, looking between them.

If they were together…

Veil.

“I’m the king’s right hand. Or his left, if you ask Orvay.” Elwynne winked at me.

I was pretty sure she was making a joke, but it didn’t hit right. “The king? Is Orvay the king?” I looked at her, and then at Ravv.

When he met my gaze head-on without saying anything, I looked back at her.

Elwynne frowned. “No. Ravv is the king; you know that, right?” She glanced at him, and then back at me. “Veil.”

I took a step back.

And then another.

My mouth was dry. Though my thoughts raced with questions, I didn’t voice any of them. I couldn’t.

“Has there been any sign of the Demon?” Ravv asked her.

“No. There haven’t been signs of any of the assassins.” Elwynne was still frowning, her gaze lingering on me.

“We need to—” Ravv began, but I cut him off.

“What do you mean, the Demon?” My voice rose. “The Demon of the Weeping Skies?”

“Yes. He’s hunting Ravv,” Elwynne said. “That’s why he went looking for you; your magic is life to his ice’s death, so it hides your power from the assassin. You already knew that, right?” she looked to Ravv, but I didn’t.

My lips parted.

He really had come to abduct me.

He didn’t give a damn about me, my safety, or my health. He had protected me and called me his because he was using me to hide himself from a magical assassin.

And he was the damn king.

None of which he’d bothered to tell me himself.

Hurt curled in my abdomen, sharp, hot, and fierce.

“Get out,” I whispered.

Ravv’s hard gaze met mine.

“This is my room, right?” I said, raising my voice again. There were no clothes in the closet, and the bed was made.

Ravv jerked his head in a nod.

“Then get out. Veil, don’t even consider coming back,” I spat, clenching my fists as they started smoking.

Elwynne opened her mouth to say something, but Ravv caught her arm—much more gently than he would’ve grabbed mine—and led her out without saying another word. Gleam and Elwynne’s bonded idorr followed them out silently. When I felt Gleam’s mind brush up against mine, I withdrew harshly, making it clear that I had no desire to speak with her.

---