Page 99 of Dark & Dreadful Brutes

“And yet my war, one that dragged on for centuries, didn’t take the life of any children.”

Her face twisted in a scowl. “So I’m a monster now?”

“You’ve been a monster since you tried to kill our parents in the middle of a damn eclipse,” he growled at her. “Since you pulled others to your cause, corrupting more fae simply because you were afraid. All of us feel fear—and yet none of us turn to murdering our own damned families.”

“Don’t act as if you’re better than me,” she spat. “You walked in here with a plan to cut my heart out of my chest. You’re just as much of a killer as me, brother.”

Ravv didn’t argue, or deny her accusation.

Instead he stepped forward. Though I closed my eyes, I heard a wet squelching noise that made my stomach turn.

Ravv’s voice was low as he said, “May the souls you have wounded guide you to a better future, and may your next life be one of hope, understanding, and love.”

Another squelch followed as he pulled his hand from Ria’s body.

I stepped back without looking to see if he held her heart, my stomach still churning.

A few minutes passed before Ravv emerged from the cell, his hands in his pockets and a dark expression on his face. Gleam rubbed up against his side, and he slipped his fingers into her fur as he said quietly, “Now, we carry her body to the city below, so her people see that she’s lost, and the mated can see that we want to establish peace.”

Orvay dipped his head.

“Any warriors who side with them die too,” Ravv said. “We’re fighting with the mated, and anyone who objects can bring it up with me.”

“We’ll spread the word,” Elwynne said simply. “Who will you take to the city with you?”

“Whichever warriors are most suspected to side with the cult.”

“I’ll have a group together by lunchtime,” Orvay agreed.

“Thank you.” Ravv slipped onto Gleam’s back, and she headed up the stairs without pause.

The couple was surprised by his gratitude, exchanging looks I couldn’t read before turning back to me. “What have you done to him?” Orvay asked, his voice a bit playful.

“Barely anything,” I admitted. “He’s the one doing things, and I’m just dragged along for the ride.”

As if on cue, his voice touched my mind. “I need you close for the next few days. It’s not safe for you to be alone right now.”

Coarse nudged me with his nose, and I slipped onto his back. He carried me off toward Ravv and Gleam, and I buried my fingers into his fur.

It was a strange sensation, to ride on the back of the beast I was bonded to. There was a different level of trust and safety in it. I didn’t feel at risk, or in danger, despite my lack of relationship with Coarse. I just felt… secure.

We followed Ravv and Gleam around the city for the next few hours. Ravv stopped or dismounted to speak with fae every couple of minutes, but I remained on Coarse’s back for most of it. That feeling of security I’d felt riding with him only grew stronger, as more time passed.

Just before it was time to meet the warriors to take Ria’s body, we stopped for lunch at a small shop in the middle of the city. When I told Ravv I wasn’t that hungry, he asked for extra on my plate.

I rolled my eyes at him, but when the food was put in front of us, ate as quickly as I could so we weren’t late.

Though I was contemplating his idea to stop hiding our relationship, I was still uncertain. I had enough to worry about on my own, and was still fighting off the feelings of being trapped that had returned when I stepped into the castle’s prison. They warred with the memories that had started coming back during the Beast’s attack, leaving my mind a mess.

Wanting a distraction, I glanced up at the sky. My gaze followed the gleaming red belly of the dragon soaring in slow, wide circles over the glacier.

I didn’t know if he was trying to scare us, or if he could sense the elves’ shield, or… if maybe he didn’t want to attack us?

That seemed like a ridiculous idea, but I didn’t understand why else he hadn’t attacked yet, so my curiosity was growing.

At the castle, we met a group of fae waiting with a body covered in black cloth. A shudder rolled down my spine at the memory of Ravv stabbing her, and I tucked my face close to Coarse’s fur. He hadn’t spoken more than a few words to me while we ran around the city, and I hadn’t spoken much to him either.

We were both still reluctant to discuss our connection, I thought.

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