Page 103 of Dark & Dreadful Brutes

Ravv’s parents and their bonded beasts joined the fight a moment later, and then it ended quickly.

I squeezed my eyes shut to avoid looking at the female idorr’s body while Coarse traded words with a few others who had come to our aid. Soon, we had started down the path that would lead us out of the city.

Ravv and Gleam were so far ahead of us that they didn’t see or smell our blood.

“Should we tell them?” I whispered to Coarse.

He grunted. “I’d rather she lick my wounds in private.”

My lips curved upward a bit.

But Ravv wouldn’t lick my wounds—he would be furious that I’d been injured without him noticing.

It would be easier to deal with his fury when we weren’t on an hours-long trek back to his city… but he would feel betrayed if I waited that long to tell him.

I couldn’t stand the idea of him feeling like I’d betrayed him on the same day he’d had to kill his own damn sister, so I couldn’t wait.

“I’m going to tell him,” I whispered to Coarse.

He made a noise of agreement.

I reached out to Ravv. “Hey.”

There was a pause. Though I could feel his attention on me, he remained silent. I couldn’t imagine the toll that day must’ve taken on him, and wasn’t hurt by his silence.

“I need to tell you something without you panicking or growling at me,” I added.

Another moment of silence passed.

I figured that was as much of a confirmation as I was going to get. “After you left, there was a female fae who lingered too long. She looked suspicious, so Coarse and I were watching her. When she pulled out a knife and moved toward your parents, Coarse killed her, and then fought her bonded idorr.”

I saw his head jerk back toward the group before his eyes caught on me.

Quickly, I added, “I’m fine, of course, but the idorr’s claws caught me on the arm. I’m only bleeding a little, but—”

He and Gleam were already charging through the group. The other idorr and fae dodged him without hesitation, giving him room.

Ravv plucked me off Coarse’s back as Gleam snarled at her mate, poking and prodding at him with her nose. We skidded to a stop, and Coarse remained still while Gleam checked and licked every one of his wounds, growling and snapping her teeth at him.

Ravv was doing the same to me as he ripped the torn sleeve off my dress and studied my wound closely, then wrapped it tightly with that fabric. Though there was no licking involved, he was growling at me too. I could see the wound on his side bleeding through his bandage again, but something told me it was a bad time to bring that up.

“I’m okay,” I repeated to him.

He said nothing as he held me tightly to his chest, leaning lower on Gleam’s back so we wouldn’t fly off when she started to move.

Coarse let Ravv and Gleam have their way. He gave me a deadpanned look when Gleam took off at an angry run, and he said, “Does that really seem like a male who plans to let you go when the eclipse breaks your bond?”

I didn’t answer him, because the truth was too hard to believe, especially in my state of mind at the moment.

It had been a long, rough day… but we were all alive.

And we would figure everything else out when we got back.

Chapter 23

Laeli

It was dark and cold by the time we finally reached the castle. My body was exhausted and achy, and Ravv seemed insanely tense.

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