Page 22 of Rage of Her Ravens

Forget calling him a toad. He was a first-rate dragon’s ass. “So you’re angry you didn’t get to kill them, and I suppose you think it’s my fault.”

“It was our right to kill our parents’ murderers,” he spoke through a hiss as he finally spared me a cold, hard look, “and you took that from us.”

Turning up my chin, I refused to let the cruel prick intimidate me, though his rejection felt as if he’d driven a talon into my heart. “Forgive me for not wantingmyparents to be killed, either.”

His lips pulled back in a snarl, and the pain that flashed in his eyes reminded me of a trapped and wounded animal. “They were going to steal your memories. You should’vewantedus to kill them.”

Tears pricked the backs of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I would not let this arrogant bastard know how much he’d hurt me. “It’s a beautiful night. I think I’ll enjoy the scenery in silence.”

He turned his gaze to the sky, and for the first time, his expression changed from aggravation to relief. “Thank the elements.”

Ohhh! What a scaly dragon’s ass! No, more like the flaming fart emitted from a scaly dragon’s ass.

I’d once dreamt of finding a fated mate, a man who would look at me with the same love and adoration in my father’s eyes whenever he looked at my mother. I never would’ve imagined I’d find three fated mates, but at least one of them hated me, and I feared a future with him would be anything but miserable.

* * *

Night had long fallen, my arms and legs were stiff, and my hands and face were frozen by the time we began circling for a place to land high up in the mountains. The air was thinner here, making it harder to draw breath, and everything seemed...bigger. The trees were easily thrice the size of the trees back home, their trunks wider than my family’s cabin, which meant that we were in giant country. Just great.

One of the brothers pointed to a cavern with a wide ledge in the distance, and Draevyn followed after him before unceremoniously dropping me on the ground, not giving me enough time to steady myself before he shot back into the sky. Luckily, the youthful brother steadied me with one of his wings, or I would’ve fallen on my ass. He shook a fist in the direction my tormenter had flown. “Easy with her, Drae!”

I seriously doubted his brother heard him, but I appreciated his concern. I mumbled my thanks and stepped away from him.

I was momentarily stunned when he smiled at me, revealing the cutest dimples. “Would you like to take her?” he whispered, motioning to Ember sleeping in his arms, her little doll tucked in beside her.

“Yes, please,” I said, and thanked him as he peeled her away from his bare chest. Though she was asleep, she still clung to that blasted doll as he placed her in my arms. I kissed her forehead, warm from his body heat. I couldn’t resist smelling her hair and caught the scents of sulfur and sage, just like him.

I swallowed when he smiled at me again. At least he didn’t act like he loathed my very existence. “Where are we?”

He rolled his shoulders and flexed his wings. “A few days west of the Windhaven border.”

I pushed back my fear, nodding toward the tops of the thick pines below. “In giant country?”

He grimaced. “Yeah, but we don’t scent any nearby.”

I silently nodded, praying they were right.

His other brother, the one with the feral eyes, landed beside him with Aurora clinging to his neck. Aurora was wide awake with a huge grin etched into her features. He set her down, and she ran to me.

“Wasn’t that fun, Auntie?” she squealed, tugging at my skirts.

Ember stirred in my arms, then looked up at me with foggy eyes. “Are we safe, Auntie?”

I kissed her forehead again. “Yes, Em. Would you like to get down?”

She shook her head, clinging to me.

My heart leapt into my throat when the brother with the feral eyes jumped back into the sky. Where was he going?

“He’s gone off to gather wood for the fire,” the youthful brother said to me as if reading my mind. “Come inside.” He motioned to me with a smile. “We’ll set up a comfortable space for you and the girls.”

He held up his hand like he was holding a torch. Flames sparked off his fingers, lighting the way inside the damp, dark cave.

Holding Aurora’s hand, I reluctantly followed him, gravel crunching under my shoes and my nose wrinkling at the musty odor. “How do we know trolls don’t live here?” Or bears. Or worse.

“We don’t,” a dark voice boomed behind me.

I scowled at Draevyn over my shoulder. I hadn’t even heard him come back. It unnerved me that he was so good at sneaking up on people, and I wondered how many other Fae he’d hunted besides my parents.

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