Page 37 of Faeling
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.
