Page 59 of Dark & Dreadful Brutes

Ravv grabbed me, yanking me to his chest and snarling into my ear and mind.

The words didn’t register.

Nothing registered except that same damn fear.

It was overwhelming. It made my throat hurt, and my chest ache. It made my mind spin. Veil, it made everything spin.

I closed my eyes against the terror, not hearing anything despite the voices sounding around me.

Finally, Ravv’s chest rumbled against me as he said to someone else, “I’ll follow the Beast’s scent trail to make sure he’s gone. You’ll need to check the city for signs of the Demon and the Monster.”

I wanted to say no.

I wanted to ask him to stay with me.

His chest rumbled again as he asked Elwynne to take me back to the castle, and she agreed.

Ravv’s lips brushed my ear, and his mind touched mine as he murmured, “Once, when Gleam and I went fishing, she fell through a hole in the ice and landed in the water. She’s a fierce warrior, but she may also very well be the clumsiest idorr you’ll ever meet.”

I recognized what he was doing immediately:

Telling me stories about fishing simply because I told him reading aloud would help me.

And veil, maybe it didn’t make much sense, but his words distracted me enough that my flames started to retreat just slightly.

“I need you to stop burning so you can get back to our room, where you’ll be safe,” he said gently, before continuing the story. “There was a massive sea dragon just below the ice when she fell in. My heart nearly stopped when I saw it—but Gleam just swam down and rubbed against her, greeting the damned shifter like they were old friends.”

My flames faded bit by bit as he continued, until finally, they went out completely.

I was still steaming, and I was fairly confident I’d be hot to the touch, but Ravv didn’t waste any time. He handed me to Elwynne as soon as my fire was gone.

She tucked me against her chest as she slid onto the back of her bonded idorr, Swift, and he ran.

Elwynne’s skin was red when she finally put me down in my room in the castle.

I crashed to my knees, and my flames erupted again.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered to her, my eyes shining with tears. I was shaking—I was pretty sure I was shaking.

“It’s not your fault,” she said, her gaze steady and clear despite the burns she wore.

“It is.”

I was the one who couldn’t control my magic.

I was the one who couldn’t control my fear.

“You need to find something for your burns,” I told her. “And for Swift’s, if he has any.”

She shook her head.

I glowered at her. “Get something for your damn burns, Elwynne. I won’t be able to live with myself if you don’t.”

She hesitated for a long moment.

Swift finally nudged her arm, and then she dipped her head in a nod, and left.

My body quivered as I struggled to my feet and crossed the room. My hands trembled as I slid the lock into place, shutting it properly, like Elwynne had taught me a few days earlier.

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