Page 15 of Faeling (Monstrous World #4)

“—you cannot just decide to—”

“I can and I have—”

“—just your beast’s instinct, you will have a clearer head and see—”

“— I am king here and—”

“—need not know, I can resume my position. I could leave—”

Snarling, Vallek struck quicker than she could see, catching her by the waist to haul her into his massive body. Pressed close to him, his heat enveloped her, and she couldn’t help a gasp to feel just how large he was compared to her. She had to look up and up and up to meet his glare with her own.

“You will not leave. You will stay here. With me. Where you belong.” Vallek looked up long enough to nod at Brynhíl, sending her along to have Ravenna’s meager things brought.

A sound of pure outrage erupted from her throat. Struggling in his grasp, Ravenna argued, “Nothing good can come of this!”

“Listen to her, my king,” Ulrich insisted.

“Oh, now I’m to be listened to?” Ravenna spat.

A vein in his forehead throbbed, but before the lord commander’s expression could grow too withering, a growl from Vallek had him rearranging his features.

“There will be no way to hide this, not forever,” said Eydis. “A fae for a mate will complicate everything. We need time to think about this, Vallek. To plan.”

“I am only half-fae and have no love nor loyalty to them,” Ravenna admitted, not wanting Eydis to think less of her.

Brows arching in surprise, Eydis nodded.

“She will be kept safe. Secret,” said Vallek. “With me.”

Ravenna pushed against the heavy slabs of muscle that made up his chest. “You cannot just keep me prisoner in here!”

Snarling, he growled, “Watch me.”

“She will stay here,” agreed Eydis, her voice gentle and soothing, “until we get this figured out. For now, come away, Vallek. Let clearer heads prevail.”

The arm wrapped around Ravenna tightened for a moment before, finally, he released her.

Her instinct was to spin away and get as much distance between them as possible—well, that was one instinct, the other was to sidle up to him and pet that glorious chest—but she thought better of it.

He watched her with that predator’s stare once more, and any sudden movement would likely see her caught again.

He considered her for a long moment, no doubt deciding how she might try to escape his imprisonment, when Brynhíl returned with the battered trunk holding all of Ravenna’s possessions.

Frowning at it, Vallek asked, “That’s it?”

“Yes,” Ravenna hissed.

A different kind of consideration overcame his expression, one that had her belly flipping.

Nodding he said, “Help her settle, but she isn’t to leave. You will see to her yourself, Bryn.”

The older orcess nodded. “Of course, my king. It will be my honor.”

Apparently satisfied, Vallek motioned for Ulrich to proceed him out into the corridor. The lord commander went, storm clouds gathered around his shoulders, opening the chamber door to reveal two guardsmen stationed on the other side.

Eydis offered what Ravenna hoped was an encouraging lift of her brows before following him out.

Before he left with them, Vallek pinned Ravenna with those lapis-lazuli eyes. “The door is under guard. You aren’t to leave.”

Ravenna curled her lip. “Such a pretty prison.”

“And comfortable, too,” he said, not rising to her bait. “Bryn will take care of you. You and I will speak when I return this evening.”

Then her azai turned on his bootheel and left, confident that she would stay put.

Now alone with Brynhíl, the sudden silence echoed in the chamber.

The orcess looked Ravenna up and down. “Please don’t make me chase you. You’ll be caught eventually, and my knees aren’t what they used to be.”

Ravenna bit her cheek. She wanted to refuse, to rail and complain, but none of this was Brynhíl’s fault. The orcess had only ever shown her kindness and competence.

“Come along.” Brynhíl nodded at the bedchamber. “Let’s put your things away.”

“There’s nothing to put,” Ravenna muttered, grudgingly following Brynhíl into the next room.

Placing her trunk on the far side of the room, the orcess opened the trunk lid and whistled.

“You’re right, there’s not. Well, I’m sure our king will have that sorted soon.

In the meantime—” she lifted one of the three plain kirtles Ravenna had, the second of which she wore “—perhaps we can…launder these?”

Ravenna shrugged, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

They were the homespun disguise of a plain, unassuming human woman.

The kirtles were meant to hide her, to discourage attention.

Held up in the orc king’s bedchamber, though, surrounded by his lavish four-post bed layered in sumptuous silks and brocade, the thing looked downright drab.

Perhaps sensing her chagrin, Brynhíl replaced the kirtle and closed the trunk.

“You were meant to have a bath after your meeting,” she said. “Would you like to do that instead?”

Ravenna couldn’t help her skepticism. She was sure Vallek would just love it if he came back to a washed, sweet-smelling, docile little mate.

She glared at his luxurious bed and furnishings, considering whether she shouldn’t roll around in her days of sweat and grime. He certainly wouldn’t want to sleep in the same chamber, let alone the same bed with her stink.

Brynhíl sighed. “Think of my knees.”

A surprised laugh escaped Ravenna before she could stop it.

The orcess smiled kindly, walking over to one of the polished doors in the bedchamber. Opening it revealed a closet full of linens, bedding, and what looked to be some of the king’s everyday attire.

An evil idea sparked in her mind. No fires were lit due to the summer heat, but it wouldn’t take much to light a little one in his closet.

Even just the idea, the notion of defiance, made her feel a little better.

Brynhíl reemerged with arms full of fluffy bath sheets and ceramic bottles.

“What should I call you?” she asked. “Surely your name cannot be kone .”

“No. It’s Ravenna.”

“Ravenna,” the orcess repeated. “Very pretty. Well, Ravenna, shall we go down to the baths? The king’s private bath is quite spectacular.”

She held out a moment longer, but the chance at a proper bath was too much. She needed to scrub her skin, and hopefully, the steam and warm water would help clear her mind and make room for a plan.

She was in dire need of a new one.

“Very well,” she said. “But I’m not doing it for him .”

“No indeed,” Brynhíl agreed, “you’ll do it for me.” The orcess winked, earning another laugh from Ravenna. “Besides, if you must confront something, better to do it clean and smelling pleasant.”