Page 36 of Dark & Dreadful Brutes

I couldn’t see the bottom of the pool, which made me a bit suspicious. It was still my best chance at getting clean, so I tugged my dress off. I used the bar of soap I found nearby to scrub my undergarments clean, just in case Elwynne hadn’t sent any, and then slipped into the water.

It felt lukewarm; not cold, but not hot either. It was nice, I supposed, though I was fairly certain I’d always dream about the hot baths I’d had a few times as a kid.

I refused to let myself think about my childhood for the sake of my sanity, so I forced myself to focus on Ravv.

And what he’d done.

Veil, the bastard was going to regret it. I’d make sure of that.

Chapter 8

Laeli

My fire went out at some point during my bath, and thankfully didn’t reignite. I collapsed in bed when I was completely clean, satisfied the door was still locked, and didn’t get up again until my growling stomach forced me to.

There were no new undergarments, so I started putting mine on—and then decided I’d have a better chance of pissing Ravv off if he found out I didn’t have anything on beneath the dress. I tucked them under the blankets on the bed, hiding them just in case someone went into my room while I was gone.

The dress slid over my skin easily, and I sighed at the feel of the soft fabric. It was black and fell to the middle of my thighs, not loose but not tight, and clearly made for a taller and stronger woman than me. It had longish sleeves that hung off my shoulders, though I was confident they were supposed to sit on top. They covered my handprint, so that was all that really mattered.

I smoothed the fabric and slipped out into the hallway. My stomach rumbled painfully, and I patted it, silently promising it I’d fill it soon.

Since I didn’t know my way around the castle, I walked up to the first fae I found. They were both male, and both standing with idorr beside them, so I assumed they were Ravv’s people.

They weren’t supposed to know we were mates, so I kept my mouth shut about that. I wanted revenge, but it would be much sweeter if I drove him mad instead of just going against his wishes.

Both men eyed me curiously. I gave them the biggest, friendliest, most human smile I could manage. “Hi, guys. I’m looking for food, do you know where I can find some?”

“The dining hall is that way.” One of them gestured toward a wall.

I supposed I could just wander in that direction, but that sounded like so much work.

And a wicked idea to contribute to my revenge plot was practically boiling in my mind.

“Oh, perfect.” I looped my arm through one of the fae’s, and his eyebrows lifted. The man was huge, so it was a risk to grab his arm without permission or invitation. I didn’t think I could make an ancient fae feel violated by touching his elbow, though. “Lead the way.”

The man looked at the other guy.

He shrugged.

We all started walking, and my smile morphed into a grin. “So you guys are from Loire?” I asked them, tapping into what little fae knowledge I possessed.

“We are,” the guy whose arm I wasn’t holding said. “You’re from the Human Lands?”

“Yep. The kingdom I lived in was called Rowain, and it’s a fairly unpleasant place,” I said cheerfully. “Luckily, your king dragged me back here. You wouldn’t know why, by chance, would you?”

Both men looked surprised. The one whose arm I was holding said, “You’re going to fight two other humans to end our peace events.”

Fight?

That bastard expected me to fight?!

Ravv could cross the damn veil for all I cared.

“Great,” I forced my grin to remain.

We stopped in front of a pair of doors, and the man I was holding gestured to them. “Here’s the dining hall. If no one serves you, go to the kitchen and ask.” He eyed me. “Politely, so they don’t kill you.”

Asshole.

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