Where was Brynden?
Daryn laughed, nervousness laced throughout it. “Gyrsh would blame you, would he not? For turning down a simple, harmless favor of his contact from a foreign entity?”
Gods, he was right—he would blame her and punish her. Daryn took another step towards her, a hand brushing back his blonde hair.
Where in the hells was Brynden?
“Please,” Daryn asked again. “I’m just curious to see if Brynden was correct.”
“Correct about what?” Elyse asked.
“If you smelled like us.”
“Why would I smell like you? Please step back.” Her heart pounded faster as he leaned in close, and she shoved her arm into him. “Stop this.”
Daryn grabbed her arm and brought it to his face, inhaling. Elyse watched with horrified eyes, unsure of what to do.
“Daryn, what are you doing?” Sylas stormed down the hall, his wide nostrils flaring as he gave a menacing stare to Daryn. After meeting the male sitting down, Elyse didn’t realize how large he was. Broad-shouldered, about a head and a half taller than Daryn, and absolutely terrifying with the snarl on his face.
“Az was right. She smells like us,” Daryn said, turning to Sylas.
Elyse took her chance and pulled her arm out from his grasp, pressing further back into the wall. What in the gods is wrong with him?
Sylas grabbed Daryn and slammed him into the opposite wall, pinning his shoulders. “You idiot,” he hissed, “that was uncalled for.”
“But she smells like peaches and honey and cream. Likeus,” Daryn said, exasperated. “After Gyrsh said—”
Elyse tilted her head. Why would she smell like any of those things?
“What is this?” Brynden walked towards them with a small box under his arm. “Do I even want to know what Daryn did to terrify my lady so?”
“I’ll give you the full details later,” Sylas growled.
Elyse turned to Brynden, arms wrapped around herself. “He was trying tosmellme, stating you thought my scent was of food.”
A smile came to Brynden that didn’t reach his eyes. “And what else?”
“He grabbed my arm so he could smell me after I told him no.”
Brynden walked towards the group, handing the wooden box to Elyse. “Please hold this for a moment, my goddess.”
He stalked towards Daryn as Sylas backed off, crossing his arms with a disapproving grimace. Brynden grabbed Daryn by his shirt, jerking him back into the wall. “If you ever so much as lay a finger on Elyse again without her permission, then I will break both your hands. Do I make myself clear?” Despite his anger, Brynden kept his voice calm and low, his eyes boring through his friend.
“Yes, my—,” Daryn said, cut off by Brynden slamming into the wall.
“Get your shit together or you will need to leave. Understood?” he threatened.
Daryn only nodded his head, biting back his reply. Elyse shook where she stood, something glass rattling in the box Brynden handed her.
Her mind raced as she followed the three males back to the courtyard. Why would Brynden tell them how shesmelled? And of things she most definitely didn’t smell like, let alone likethem.
Between Sylas and Brynden’s anger, the silence was almost unbearable, their rage similar to that of her father’s. Brynden had lost his temper twice over minor things—was he always like this? Was she jumping from one controlling male to another?
No, because he didn’t want her to be some complicit wife. At least that much was obvious. But what else did she know of him?
She knew little of Brynden. That was her third time spending time with him, and he was already so protective of her. None of it made sense. Brynden courting her after meeting her once, continuing to court her even afterthe incident. What was his angle? Elyse wasn’t worth the hassle.
Silence still encased their group as they returned to the courtyard, Oryck looking between them all. “I missed something. Tell me what I missed.”
