Page 97 of Dark & Dreadful Brutes

He groaned. “You’re vicious.”

“My viciousness turns you on.” I dragged a hand lightly over his bare erection, making his body tense.

“Veil.” He dragged me closer and lowered his forehead to rest on the top of my head. “You’re right.”

“I know.”

After he drank the second dose of the antidote, I slipped an arm around his waist and tugged him back toward the bed. Neither of us was in the right shape to act on his desire, so we just collapsed back in the bed together. When he’d pulled me to his chest, I whispered, “What happened to Ria after you beat her?”

“I left her to Elwynne and Orvay. They should’ve taken her to the castle and chained her.”

My stomach twisted. “Do you have a prison?”

“Most kings have prisons, Lae,” he murmured.

“But do you?”

“I do. It’s usually empty, though.” He brushed his lips to the back of my neck. “There’s nothing you could do to land yourself there. You’re safe here.”

I hoped he was right.

And sitting in his arms, I was comfortable enough to let myself believe him.

Chapter 21

Laeli

We slept for the majority of the next two days, with Gleam and Coarse bringing us edible, if questionable, food sporadically.

Ravv only had two wounds left that weren’t entirely healed by the time the third day came around. My body was growing warmer by then, but my magic was still so small and weak that I could barely touch it at all.

I’d never burned myself out so thoroughly before, so I was surprised that my power continued to be inaccessible.

Still playing along with the façade about us not liking each other, Ravv left distance between us as we walked down the ice street, toward the castle. Gleam walked at his side, and Coarse walked at hers.

I was still uncertain about my bond with him, but there was no way out of it, so I knew I needed to figure out a way to get over it.

I was glad to have bonded, because it would mean I had an idorr on my side and wouldn’t have to be alone, but Coarse was typically grumpy or angry. His connection to Gleam and Ravv was an even bigger problem, too, or would be as soon as the eclipse passed.

My fingers slipped into the pockets of the worn dress I’d gotten in the Timeless Sands. That dress had been through the veil and back with me, so it had a special place in my heart.

I’d have to figure out what to do about Coarse later.

“We’re still pretending not to like each other, right?” I asked him mentally, as we walked.

“Most people will know we’ve been together sexually at this point,” he said. “Someone in the castle will have heard us and spread the word.”

A flush stained my cheeks. “We haven’t had actual sex.”

“They’ll assume we have. Neither of us has been a quiet lover.”

“So?”

“So, we have to decide what story we want to tell them. I’d prefer the truth.” His gaze met mine, steady and soft.

“What’s the truth in this situation?”

“That we intended the mate bond to be temporary at the beginning, but now have feelings for each other. If the cult already wants us dead, I see no point in pretending otherwise.”

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