Page 46 of The Sorrow of Shadows

“In a way that wasn’t exactly like us?” he clarifies, waving a hand between us.

“What’s your point?” I grit out. I don’t like where this is heading.

“My point, Princess, is that everyone around you is protecting you in some way, but you haven’t once stopped to consider why.” The frustration is palpable in his tone.

“I don’t need protection,” I grit out, my back molars grinding.

“You’re wrong about that.”

The way Elijah says that catches me off guard. “What aren’t you telling me? Who do you think I need protection from?”

He sighs, “There’s a lot going on that I’m not sure about right now, but most of all you need protection from yourself, B.”

His words sober me, leaving me unable to form a response. I’m not sure I completely understand his meaning, but it leaves my stomach in knots either way.

Elijah pulls me into him and lays us down, wrapping me tightly to his chest. The lights extinguish themselves, and theroom goes dark. I listen to the soft inhales and exhales of my best friend behind me as I ponder his words. His breathing is deep and even, letting me know he’s found sleep as I continue to mentally replay our conversation early into the morning hours. When sleep finally comes for me, it’s not restful.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

BREYLA

Iawake the next morning with a pounding behind my eyes and a stiffness in my limbs. Normally I sleep peacefully with Elijah, but I spent the entire night in a semi-conscious state, tossing and turning constantly. Elijah is already up and in the bathing chamber getting ready for the day.

According to Aurelius's sources, Prince Ayden is set to arrive today. The thought has my stomach knotting even further. There is so much I don’t know, and the lack of control has me spiraling.

I slip from Elijah’s bed and out of his chambers. It’s early enough that I won’t be seen by many. It doesn’t take me long to reach the royal wing and my chambers. As I unlock my door, Aurelius's swings open.

Before I can voice my displeasure with him, I find myself pinned to my door, an angry-looking Aurelius staring at me. He leans into me and runs his nose along my neck, and I realize he’s smelling me.

His deep voice betrays nothing as he asks, “What are you wearing?”

Then it dawns on me; I’m still wearing Elijah’s clothes. I resist the urge to grin as I realize what’s happening.

“Something of Elijah’s,” I answer boldly, and because I can’t help myself, I taunt him further. “It’s where I just came from, actually.”

A growl escapes him as I feel the pad of his tongue lick up my neck. The feeling has shivers racing up my back, and I fight the arousal I’m feeling from his reaction. It’s completely feral and should be a red flag, but I always did love the color red.

“Go bathe, Princess,” he demands and nips my earlobe. “You smell like shit.”

He opens my door behind me and shoves me in, slamming the door behind him.

I can’t help the full laugh that escapes me as I realize I smell like Elijah. It doesn’t matter that Elijah is more of a brother to me; it would appear Aurelius doesn’t like the scent of any male on my skin.

As tempted as I am to taunt him further by keeping Elijah’s scent on me, a bath sounds amazing. I still have remnants of our activities in the woods yesterday all over me. Small twigs and leaves are wound in my hair, and there’s a slight ache to my muscles.

I quickly undress, dropping Elijah’s clothing to the ground to be laundered and returned later. There’s a fire burning, and I know I have Lyla to thank for still tending to me even when I had dismissed all my servants. I enter the bathing chamber to find the bath already drawn.

I sink into the warm water and let it relax me, washing away all of the events of the last twenty-four hours.

I take my time in the bath and emerge later, ready to face the day. Today won’t be easy, but I’m more prepared to handle it now that I feel alive again.

With my hair wrapped in a towel and a thin black robe wrapped around me, I pad across my chamber in search of clothing. When I pass the fireplace, I notice something odd burning in it. I bend down to inspect it and grab the black metal poker from next to the hearth. I use it to move the mystery item until I can see it clearly.

“Is that...clothing?” I ask aloud.

I drop the poker and look behind me where I had dropped Elijah’s borrowed clothing to find it missing.

That motherfucker.The jealous male had snuck back in my room to burn the other male’s clothing because he didn’t like his scent on me.

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