Page 118 of White Raven

“That is more complicated.” Bjørn’s mouth curved up, understanding my insinuation. He stopped us at my chamber door.

“I thought the king wanted me⁠—”

“Like I said, he will be passed out soon and will forget he even has a wife.” Bjørn opened the door, gesturing me to enter.

I stepped in and curved around.

“Why have you always been so nice to me?”

“Under the colors of our feathers we’re all just Ravens, right?” He shrugged.

“Yes.” Something in the simplicity of his words hit me hard. “But most don’t feel that way.”

“That’s the thing: I’m not like most, vennen.” Sweetheart. He smirked, clutching the door handle. “Good night, your majesty,” he teased, starting to close the door.

“It was you,” I blurted out. He stopped, peering at me with a curved eyebrow. “You made sure the king would be too drunk tonight. I saw you give his thrall coins to keep him intoxicated. You are protecting me.”

“I was just the messenger.” He winked, and with that he shut the door, leaving me to stew in his response.

Was it Onyx who ordered him to do that?

Aggravation at that man, the feel of his presence still between my thighs, rumbled up my throat. I swung back to the bed, ready to strip myself of the soiled gown and crawl under the covers to hide.

“Oh no.” I shut my eyes for a moment, hoping I didn’t see what I thought, but when I looked again, a heavy sigh escaped.

Half the blanket was gnawed into strips.

“Munch!”

CHAPTER 26

The fire in the hearth went out and plunged the room into almost complete darkness, not defining what time of day it was in the endless night. My head pounded with residue from the toxins, lack of sleep, and the tears I let fall. Heaviness sat on my chest, the memories of everything that happened not letting me rest for too long.

The moment Bjørn shut the door, I stripped out of the gown and crawled into bed naked, hoping sleep would let me forget the fear, grief, and horror. But in every dream, Onyx slipped in, watching the king slice my throat open with a smirk, along with a bright blue eye watching me, seeing right through my armor to the truth, the lies stacking around me, ready to tumble out.

What had happened to Brynden sent bile up my throat, the squelching sound still ringing like a nightmare in my head. A gift from my husband.

The realization I was married wouldn’t sink in. Technically, I was now Queen of the Night Realm, but no one including myself would ever accept that. The heavy moonstone on my finger was nothing more than a bragging right, a cage locking me in as one of his exotic pets. A fraud in a foreign land, with the clock running out on my life.

“Even if everything is against you, you never give up. Only in your death will I accept your failure to fight, to do your duty, Wrennlyn.”

Fresh tears burned the back of my lids at my father’s words.

My father was brilliant—he wouldn’t have sent Brynden, who had no battle training, no negotiation skills, to bargain for me. There had to be more. He wouldn’t let me go so easily. Especially since he had to know the truth of what the seers foretold about the White Raven’s blood needing to be spilled. Why would Father keep that from me? Leave me so vulnerable?

Brynden had to be a decoy, and Father had a bigger plan to rescue me. Maybe I just needed to hold strong, and believe King Stallard was coming to get me.

Coming for the White Raven.

A heavy snore penetrated the air, jerking my head to the side. A candle still flickered by the bedside, glowing over Munch’s outline. Stretched out on the pillow next to me, his stomach protruding with every breath. The blanket he used as a midnight snack was clutched in his good hand, his nub lying on his belly, his mouth open wide, fangs poking out.

I curled on my side, facing him, watching my friend sleep. Reaching out, I brushed at the fine hairs sticking out of his head. A soft twitter came from him, and he smacked his lips.

Could I take him with me when my father rescued me? Would he like the Day Realm? I wouldn’t just leave him behind after everything we had gone through.

Lying there, I started to drift off, the barriers I was keeping up mollifying the harsh memories. The soft sheets grazing the aches in my body I was ignoring, the throb between my legs that pulsed with my heartbeat, allowing the dreamlike imagery to flood back, the deep hum of his voice vibrating against me.

“Come on my tongue, kanin.”