It was so opposite of everything she’d ever imagined Underworld to be.
“Is this what it’s like everywhere?” she asked, gazing up at it. “All this time, I thought Underworld was like your castle, but this is so different.”
“Parts of Underworld are like this. And parts of it are not,” Taveon said from beside her. He’d been quiet the rest of the journey here, no doubt mulling over their conversation just like she had been. “It is a varied land full of varied fae and creatures. I hope you never have to see the truly terrible things.”
Bree shuddered. So far, her experience of Underworld hadn’t been one hundred percent amazing. A lot of the fae at Court were kind of...well, dicks. She didn’t want to meet anyone worse.
“It is strange, is it not?” Rafe asked, striding up beside them. “Usually, the Marlin family would be out on the front steps, ready to greet the Prince. I have never known them not to come outside in welcome.”
Taveon’s face was grim as he nodded. “Indeed, it is quite out of the ordinary.”
Bree felt her entire body tense, and she gazed up at the looming building. No longer did it feel warm and welcoming. The dark windows were menacing, hiding enemies within. The house was large and imposing, casting eerie shadows onto the blooming ground. She shivered.
“You do not think they plan to fight us, do you? I mean, what if they’re the ones behind all these attacks?” Bree asked, though she found it hard to believe even as she voiced it aloud. They might be behind something, but it didn’t make sense for them to be behind everything. She’d been shot at. Seath had been killed. And there had been that random attack during the feast when no one had even known she was there. None of it seemed connected. Every attack felt separate, done for different reasons. If one random family out in the middle of the wilderness was behind it all? Well, she’d eat her shoe.
Taveon strode forward and pulled his sword from his scabbard, holding out a hand in front of Bree’s body, as if to shield her. She didn’t miss the movement, and it warmed her in a way she hadn’t expected. Prince Taveon, who had dragged her to his castle in chains, was protecting her. And what was worse was that she kind of liked it.
“We cannot know what will happen,” he said over his shoulder. “Stay behind me.”
“You could give me a weapon to protect myself.”
Taveon froze, frowning as he glanced back at her. He looked so strong standing there with his sword raised high. If he wasn’t such an ass, she might think he was handsome. But even though they’d made something of a truce, she didn’t have to like him.
She just maybe didn’t hate him anymore.
“You truly expect me to give you a weapon after what you pulled that day I brought you into this realm?” He arched an eyebrow and actually laughed. It was a deep melodic sound, one Bree swore she’d never heard from him before. Not with all his scowling and stomping around. It was...nice.
“I won’t stab you again.” She shrugged. “But even if I did, you wouldn’t die.”
The laughter died on his lips, and out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw Rafe tense. “Never repeat that again.”
She blinked and frowned. “Okay, sorry. I was just stating the truth.”
“Never repeat that again.” He grabbed a dagger from his belt and threw it her way. “If you stab me again, you are going back into that damn cell.”
“Aye aye, Captain,” she said, but Taveon merely furrowed his eyebrows in response. Sighing she said, “Sorry. Human saying.”
With a quick shake of his head, Taveon turned back toward the home of House Marlin. Bree stepped up to his side, now sandwiched between him and Rafe. They all stared at the dark, quiet house. It certainly didn’t look like anyone was about to attack them, but Bree had quickly learned that appearances can be deceiving in Underworld.
“I shall go and knock,” Rafe said, moving toward the door before Taveon or Bree could get a word in edgewise. She most certainly did not want him to approach, not after what had happened at the volcano. But it seemed as if there was no stopping him, not once he got an idea into his head. She had to appreciate that about him at least.
After a long moment passed, nothing happened. Rafe knocked again. “Open up, House Marlin. By order of the King of Underworld.”
Bree raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything. There was no King of Underworld, not at the moment, but she supposed the Prince was close enough.
Several more moments passed by before Rafe shot them a shrug and then slammed his boot into the door. The wood splintered against the force, and the door flung open wide, revealing nothing but a deep and penetrating darkness. Bree shuddered and gripped her dagger’s hilt as hard as she could. If anything ran out of that house, she’d be ready.
But nothing came.
Rafe disappeared inside, and Bree itched to follow. She didn’t want him going in there alone. They could be waiting for him in there. It could be some sort of trap.
A moment passed. And then another. She was about to charge in there after him when his silver hair popped around the doorframe.
“The entirety of House Marlin is dead,” Rafferty said, his lips set in a grim line. “They all look poisoned, the same as Seath.”
Chapter 38
Bree
Bree stood in the corridor outside of Rafe’s quarters, admiring several portraits hanging on the wall. They looked ancient, as far as she could tell, and held images of the same family over the years. Every male and female in the paintings had bright silver hair and big blue eyes. The color of the morning sky just after dawn. Two guards stood on either side of the door, watching her.
After returning from her little trip with Rafe and Taveon, she’d been afforded some privileges she hadn’t had before. Namely, she could leave Rafe’s room. She couldn’t go far, and she had to be accompanied by at least one guard. But at least she could stretch her legs when she wanted to, instead of being forced to wait for Taveon’s company.
Footsteps echoed on the stone floor, and she turned with a smile, expecting Rafe to be returning from his little pow wow with the Prince about their findings. They had barely spoken about the matter during the journey back to the castle, though they’d been clear in that she wasn’t to repeat what had happened to anyone. They weren’t even going to tell the council. Not yet.
But it wasn’t Rafe who approached her.
It was Dagen.
And for the first time since she’d met him, he seemed...hesitant and a little unsure of himself.
“Bree? Do you have a moment?” He held his arms behind his back, a move that made him look stiff and formal when he usually looked anything but.
Bree glanced at the guards. “I’m fine with Dagen for now.”
The guards gave a slight bow and strode further down the corridor, but they didn’t leave the two of them alone. They still stood at attention, their eyes focused on the pair.
“I see the guards are being a bit more attentive than they have been in the past,” Dagen said. “Good. You need the protection.”
“Lord Dagen, why are you here? It has only been a few hours since the last time I saw you. Honestly, give me some time. I can’t come up with information out of my ass.”
He furrowed his eyebrows. “I am not here to demand you give me information, though I do know you went with the Prince to House Marlin. Are there no updates from that mission? Did you find nothing at all?”
Bree glanced down at the stone floor, nibbling on her bottom lip. This was the situation she’d been dreading. She knew Dagen would come eventually, though she hadn’t expected so soon. What would she tell him? After her little conversation with the Prince, she was feeling less certain of her role as a spy for Lord Dagen. It felt...wrong. It felt like a betrayal, even if she wasn’t loyal to Taveon at all.
But she was loyal to Rafe. And giving up information he’d explicitly asked her to keep to herself...she just didn’t feel right in sharing it.
Besides, the fate of House Marlin had n
othing to do with the Prince’s plan to take the crown. Telling Dagen what they’d found would not lead to her freedom, and that was the only reason she was doing this whole spying business in the first place. So that she had another chance to get out of Underworld.
“I wasn’t really involved in all that,” she said quietly. “The Prince wanted me to go with them because he thinks I’m in danger here. But he didn’t let me go near House Marlin. I don’t know what happened. You’ll have to ask him.”
There. That seemed like a reasonable compromise. If Taveon wanted Dagen to know about the fate of House Marlin, then he would tell him and the rest of the council. Until then...Bree didn’t want to be involved.
Dagen raised an eyebrow and stepped closer. Bree couldn’t help but notice the scent of him: a masculine scent of pine, frost, and musk. It was a very, very nice smell. And one that made her forget for one single moment where she was. But then it all came flooding back. Dagen was not just Dagen. He was Lord Dagen, a former supporter of King Midas, a cruel Dark Fae, and one who was using her to take down the Prince.
Bree didn’t want to be used anymore.
“Is there something wrong?” he murmured quietly. “I would have thought you would do anything to discover what they found at House Marlin. You seemed so eager to earn your freedom before, but you no longer seem keen now. Has something changed, Bree?”
A lot of things had changed, but Bree did not know how or why, and she certainly didn’t want to explain all of it to Dagen. He wouldn’t understand anyway. Or care.
“I’m just not sure how much longer I can be a spy for you,” she said. “I don’t think I can find out what you need, and I feel like I’m getting closer and closer to getting caught.”
Dagen pursed his lips. “So, you would like to quit.”
“No. Yes. I don’t know.” Bree sighed and dropped back her head to gaze up at the ceiling. “All I know is that I still want my freedom. I just don’t know if I’m willing to risk it all to get it.”
“Very well, Bree.” His hand whispered against her hip before falling heavily to his side. “If you change your mind, the offer still stands.”
Chapter 39
Bree
“What are you doing out here in the corridor?” Rafe asked as he sidled up to Bree. After she’d practically run Dagen off, she’d still stood beside those portraits, eyeing them up as if they held the answers to all the questions she had in her mind.
With a sigh, she turned to Rafe and smiled. He was the one good thing in this place. “I’m tired of being cooped up. I thought I’d take a stroll, and then I realized I don’t really want two guards shadowing my every movement. So, I’ve just kind of been standing here for awhile. These portraits are really pretty.”
Rafe blinked at the portraits. “Yes, we have some talented artists in Underworld, though that skill was not held in high esteem during Midas’s reign. Taveon will want to bring that back though. He has always enjoyed the music, the singing, the painting, and the storytelling.”
Bree cocked her head and almost laughed. She never would have expected that kind of thing from the Prince. He always seemed so glum and angry, though she was quickly realizing that was a front he put on just for show. It made her want to know what he was like underneath that mask of his, but she wasn’t certain he would ever show it to her.
She was just his champion after all.
“It is late,” Rafe said. “And it has been a long day. Are you ready to retire to our quarters?”
The way he said ‘our quarters’ made Bree shake in her boots. Yes, she was ready for sleep, but she wasn’t certain she was ready to be back in bed with him again. Truthfully, she wanted nothing more than to snuggle up against his chest, to feel his lips on hers again. But it also terrified her. They hadn’t spoken about their kiss. Not once.
And she couldn’t help but wonder...did he regret it? She didn’t think she could take it if he did.
He let out a chuckle when he saw the look on her face. “Do not look so alarmed, Bree. I won’t bite.” But then he gave a wink, one that made all the blood rush into Bree’s cheeks.
He opened the door and motioned for her to duck inside underneath his arm. Swallowing hard, she eased into the room, tensing as her body brushed against his. There was something so...alluring about Rafe. She could barely even think straight when she was in his presence. Alone. In his bedroom. Where they had snuggled and kissed only hours before.
After he shut the door behind him, Rafe pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it into the armchair before striding toward his bathing chambers. Bree watched him as he left the room. Everything about him screamed masculinity. His body was corded with some serious muscle, and his back rippled as he moved with confident strength and power. Bree had never seen him shift into his raven form, but she could only imagine the spectacle it would be.
Shaking her head at herself, she quickly changed out of her fighting leathers and into the tunic she liked to wear to bed. Rafe was still in the bathing chambers doing...something. Before he could return, she padded across the cold stone floor and slid underneath the covers. Of his bed. She didn’t know where she’d found the bravery for that, but she had.
Her heart raced as she waited for him, her entire body tense with anticipation. What would he do when he saw her here? Would he climb into the other bed? Or would he pick things up where they’d left them? She wasn’t entirely sure which one she’d prefer. The idea of being close to him was almost overwhelming in its intensity.
The door creaked open, and she looked up to see the most beautiful creature she’d ever laid eyes on. His skin was so smooth and luminous. Those silver eyes pierced her to her very soul. Rafe smiled and strode over to her, sinking onto the bed beside her, his eyes locked on hers with each and every step.
“I see you have decided to sleep here again tonight.” His lips quirked up, and he reached out a hand to cup her face. “I hope this means what I think it means.”
That I want you?
But she couldn’t say that yet. Not out loud.
Instead, she pressed a hand to his bare chest to feel his muscles underneath her fingers. Rafe shuddered against her touch, leaning closer so that their foreheads pressed against each other. Bree’s breath stilled in her lungs as she stared at his lips. They were so close. All it would take—
And then his lips were on her, hot and wet and frenzied with a need that was reflected by all the desire she felt in her gut. This kiss was not like the other. There was an intensity here that had been missing before. An almost primal need.
Bree’s back arched toward him, and her fingers dug into his hair. He groaned against her, and his teeth nicked her lips. Something about that small movement made her need for him grow even more.
Her left leg wrapped around his waist, and his fingers dug into her hips. A feverish kind of energy consumed her, one that could only be doused by the taste of Rafe’s lips. He kissed her harder, and her tongue dove between his lips. She wanted more. More, more, more. So much more that she could barely stand it.
Rafe grabbed her wrists in his hands and he pinned each to the mattress underneath them. He climbed on top of her, his warm body pressing heavily onto hers. She squirmed underneath him, both from the excitement and from the need to touch every inch of him with her hands. She wanted to feel his back, his abs, his chest. She wanted to feel everything.
“I want to see you,” he said in a low growl. “I want to see every single part of you.”
Bree’s heart throbbed in her chest. No one had ever spoken to her like this. No one had ever looked at her as though she were the only woman alive.
Rafe released his grip on her wrists, but only long enough to tug the tunic over her head. How silly it had been of her to wear the thing in the first place. Not when she was sharing a bed with Rafe. Not when she wanted him to touch every part of her.
He gazed down at her with a look of wonder in his eyes. “You are breathtaking. I have never before seen a more beaut
iful fae in my entire life.”
Bree’s heart filled with a happiness she hadn’t felt in weeks. With a smile, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. “Kiss me, Rafe.”
And so he did. His mouth found her lips again, and then her neck, her breasts, and her stomach. He moved lower and lower as the moments passed, each kiss more electric than the last. Her entire body was squirming with need when he reached the top of her thighs. Everything within her clenched tight, her breasts heaving with belabored breaths.
“Do you want this, Bree?” He gazed up at her with a flicker of hesitation on his face. “If you do not, then I will—”
“I want this,” she gasped. “Please. I want this very much.”
A slow smile spread across his lips, and then he ducked down between her thighs. When his tongue finally touched her, sparks lit up across every inch of her body. Her mind whorled as pleasure consumed her, and her legs spread wider as a sweet, painful kind of need filled her mind.
His tongue slid against her again, and her back arched as a cry of pleasure ripped from her throat. By the forest, this was the most amazing thing she’d ever felt before in her life.
Rafe groaned at her reaction, almost as though he was being driven wild himself, just by seeing how much his touch made her scream. His tongue caressed her. Each stroke drove her closer and closer to a cliff she desperately wanted to jump off. Another kiss. Another stroke. Moans filled the air. Both hers and his. Bree could barely think straight, her mind too consumed by the pleasure raking through her body.
And then, before she even knew what was happening, an explosion ripped through her. Her body shook, rocked by wave after wave of delirious pleasure. She could barely breathe, she could barely think, and she certainly could not move. Not for a long while to come.
Rafe smiled as he shifted back on top of her, gazing down at her face with a kind of pride she’d never seen in him before. “Feeling any better?”
A Cage of Moonlight (Dark Fae Academy Book 1) Page 20
