Page 18 of Faeling (Monstrous World #4)

Ravenna wasn’t truly surprised when she awoke to find herself laid comfortably on Vallek’s bed. Annoyed, yes. Surprised? No.

She’d had a feeling something like that might happen. The orc king had held his throne for almost eighteen years; he wasn’t used to being defied.

Apparently, her magic hadn’t considered him a threat.

Usually it was good about warning her of danger while she slept, but it seemed her magic was more than ready to recognize Vallek as her mate.

An azai wasn’t a threat—they were one of only a select few a fae woman allowed close. Trusted with her magic and her wings.

Her heart and mind weren’t ready to extend such trust, however. No matter how her heart pitter-pattered at the thought of his beast recognizing her immediately. No matter how her mind concede that taking a strong orc for an azai certainly had its benefits.

Ravenna kept still, letting her ears tell her what they could. She didn’t hear him breathing, and a small tendril of magic across the bed told her his place was cold. Long abandoned.

She peeked over her shoulder to confirm that she was alone.

Sighing, she scrubbed her hands over her face. Fates, what a mess.

She could hardly believe the change a day made. This time yesterday, she’d been merely a human soothsayer in the orc king’s employ. Today, she was his mate and prisoner. Not exactly an improvement in conditions, but big changes nevertheless.

A presence poked at her mind. Oh, good. You’re awake. Tell me everything, insisted Oberon.

I already told you everything, she reminded him. Left with a little time to think as Brynhíl brushed out her damp hair, Ravenna had informed Oberon of the developments. The unicorn didn’t seem to know whether to be alarmed or smug.

Tell me what’s happening now .

I just woke up.

In his bed?

Ravenna made a face at the far wall. I’m not telling you. Talking about anything of the sort with him was almost as bad as discussing it with her father.

In his bed, Oberon confirmed, and Ravenna could hear the echo of his gleeful whinny. Well, go on. What kind of mate is he?

An overbearing one. Like someone else I know.

Good. Perhaps he will finally talk some sense into you.

I don’t intend to tell him, nanny goat.

Ravenna—

Severing the connection, she disentangled from the coverlet and threw her legs over the side of the bed.

It wasn’t an insignificant hop down to the ground; the bed was sized for an orc, a big orc, and so the mattress with its bedding rose to her chest. She’d likely need steps to get back in it—or a running start.

Not that she’d be getting back into it, of course.

Straightening out the linen robe Brynhíl had put her in after the bath and finger combing her hair, Ravenna padded silently around the bed to peek past the threshold.

Vallek’s quarters were luxurious and included several rooms, all branching from a short central hall.

The four main rooms—the bedchamber, den, the front antechamber that he used as a meeting room, and what she presumed was an office of some kind—were clustered like clover leaves around the hall, with a door to a smaller space in between their arched thresholds.

One such door led down to his private bath, another to a garderobe, the third into an expansive closet of all his finery, and the fourth was the door leading outside.

Ravenna couldn’t help peering long and hard at that most elusive door. It wasn’t even that far away. She could likely reach it before he even thought to catch her. The problem was, she’d run right into the waiting arms of the guards posted on the other side.

She’d have to find another means of escape, then.

What she planned to do beyond that…she didn’t truly know.

Leaving Balmirra entirely was out of the question.

She’d spent too much time on this plan; everything was already in motion.

And…she wasn’t sure how long her mind would last against the gnashing instinct to be near him.

It’d been one thing when she was hidden away. Seeing him now and then for a friendly game while touching herself to thoughts of him had seemed to be enough. Now, though, that all changed. Now, her instinct drove her out of the bedchamber in search of him.

Before turning into the den, the sound of voices met her ears. Ravenna stopped by the side of the archway leading in, concealing herself in shadow.

Her mother always said listening at doors was rude, but Aine likely never imagined her daughter in such a situation.

She could tell by the happy way her magic hummed inside her that Vallek was near. Two female voices accompanied his within the den, and Ravenna held her breath to hear better.

“It certainly complicates matters,” said one voice. Definitely Lady Eydis.

“I don’t see why,” said the other. “All kin know the beast has the final say. No one will argue with it.” This one took Ravenna a moment, but she guessed from the easy way all three of them spoke that the second voice was Captain Asta, Vallek’s younger sister.

“They will argue when they see she’s a fae,” said Eydis.

“Half-fae,” Vallek corrected.

A pause, in which Ravenna could imagine Eydis shooting her brother the kind of look only eldest sisters managed. “Half or not, she looks fae. There will be suspicions. Ulrich is already against her, even knowing she’s your mate.”

Asta huffed. “Ulrich has always had a stick up his—”

“He’s loyal, ” Eydis interrupted. “That’s what matters.”

“Perhaps too loyal,” Vallek ruminated.

“There’s no such thing.”

“There is too,” insisted Asta. “I agree with Vallek. These past few years, Ulrich has been…fervent in his loyalty.”

Another pause, then Eydis said, “We aren’t discussing him right now. More important is your new mate.”

“She can glamour herself, right? Just have her wear a human face. Or even an orcess’s!”

“And keep up the ruse for the rest of her life?” Eydis scoffed.

“Fine. Then get some cosmetics and make her the right complexion.”

“These are good suggestions,” Vallek said diplomatically, “but will only bandage the wound, not heal it. There must be something more definitive.”

Ravenna made a face at being referred to as a wound.

“Well,” sighed Eydis, “that is your decision. What are we to do about her?”

“Shall we ask her?”

Ravenna’s heart dropped to her stomach, and for a breathless moment, she didn’t know whether to reveal herself or race back to take a running leap at the bed.

Vallek didn’t give her a chance for either, appearing around the threshold to take up her vision.

Those linen breeches from last night were back, searing her mind with the memory of watching them drop to reveal the taut green flesh of his backside.

Now he also wore a sleeveless linen tunic, stretched wide over his massive chest.

Her magic pooled at her feet and crept along the flagstones to wrap around his ankles.

One of his heavy brows lifted in interest.

“Good morning, Ravenna.”

“Good morning.”

“Join us for breakfast.” Not waiting for her answer to his not- a-question, he lightly laid his hand at the small of her back, ushering her forward.

Ravenna stepped quickly into the den, avoiding letting him get too close to her back. Although her vulnerable wings were folded high up on her back and hidden beneath her robe and hair, his hand was enormous.

The den was much the same as the night before, food spread on the dining table, the hearth empty. Two orcesses looked up to mark her entrance, though, their eyes wide with interest.

She’d seen more of Eydis, the elder sister, than she had Asta.

The younger sister was tall like her siblings, but where Eydis was lanky for an orcess, Asta carried thick ropes of muscle across her back and chest and down her arms and thighs.

A leather cuirass molded to her form, oiled to a high shine, and an ornate golden gorget hung round her neck, denoting her rank.

Fine leather trou had been tucked into knee-high boots, and her long mane of inky black hair had been scraped back into a sleek tail.

Asta looked every inch the warrior she was, so the wide, almost girlish smile she lobbed at Ravenna was startling.

“Well now,” she whistled, “here’s the half-fae herself.” Reaching out her much larger hand, she took hold of Ravenna’s forearm in a sign of greeting and respect. “I’m Asta, the best looking of the siblings. Thank you for taking our brother off our hands.”

In her surprise, Ravenna didn’t think to tell the orcess she’d no intention of doing that, but she did manage to give her name.

Asta nodded. “So I hear.” A sudden frown creased her brow. “Are you sure you’re fully grown?”

“Asta!” hissed Eydis.

“I’m only wondering! She’s just short, is all.”

“I’m a perfectly average height for a human,” Ravenna groused.

Asta shrugged, apparently content with that answer. “Just be sure he prepares you before—”

“ Asta! ”

“What! I want her to survive!”

A hand at Ravenna’s back urged her toward the dining table to choose her breakfast.

“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of my mate,” Vallek grumbled as he passed his sister.

Cheeks burning, Ravenna blindly loaded a helping of fruit and bread rolls onto her plate before retreating to her isolated chair across the room. All three orcs watched her go with raised brows, as if they expected her to choose a more comfortable seat amongst them.

“Now look,” chided Eydis, “you’ve scared her away.”

Lifting her hands in a gesture of capitulation, Asta moved one of the other wooden chairs and placed it near Ravenna’s. Sitting down beside her, Asta smiled toothily, showing off her gold-capped tusks.

“I’m sure you’ve an opinion on all of this,” she said. “What should be done about you?”

“Asta.” This time it was Vallek who warned her.

Ravenna shot him a withering look. At least Asta cared to ask.

“We go back to how things were,” Ravenna said. “I resume my disguise— and my chamber in the servants’ hall. This can all just be an…inconvenience.”