Page 109 of A Court Bright and Broken

Chapter 28

Unrecognizable

Stellon

Blowing out an exasperated breath, I rolled away from Raewyn andveryreluctantly left the bed to go deal with my soon-to-be-dead brother.

“I’ll be right back,” I said to her. “Stay here, out of sight.”

Walking away from her—and the moment we’dalmostshared—felt like tearing off a limb.

When I’d awakened beside her, I’d been half-convinced I was still living in one of the dreams I frequently had about her.

My hands had literally shaken with the restraint required to keep myself from reaching over and pulling her lovely figure close to me.

So I’d given them something else to do. Fetching my drawing pad and pencils, I’d returned to the bed and attempted to capture the ethereal beauty of Raewyn dreaming.

Now all I wanted to capture was my brother’s neck in a chokehold.

Closing the bedroom door behind me, I strode across the adjoining sitting room to the door of my suite, yanking it open to find Pharis’ smug grin.

“What are you doing awake at this hour? You usually sleep till noon,” I said.

“Maybe I felt the unquenchable urge for aflower bath,” he drawled. “I hear they’re available daily in your chambers, as of late. Servants talk, remember?”

I stiffened and braced myself for the coming accusation.

“Yes, well… they relax me,” I said through gritted teeth. “If you’re so interested, order your own flower bath.”

I attempted to close the door in his face, but Pharis stopped it with his boot.

Pushing the door aside, he strolled into the sitting room, noting the fresh-cut star-poppies in several vases placed around the room and the extra throw pillows and blanket on the chaise along with a book Raewyn had left open.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in here,” he said. “Not since the day of the ball. It’s a lot more… hospitable than I remember.”

He stroked his chin, his tone mocking.

“One might even call it ‘charming.’ A bit of afemininetouch to the environs, I’d say.”

Sweat popped out at my temples, and my stomach fell to the richly patterned carpet. My brother wasn’t a fool. He knew something was going on.

I rolled my eyes and kept my tone blase. “What are you blathering on about?”

His jovial expression flattened as he nodded toward the closed bedroom door.

“She’s in there, isn’t she?”

A giant hand reached into my chest and squeezed my heart, stealing my breath.

“Who?”

“LadyWyn,” Pharis said as if it should have been obvious.

The giant released me, and I took a full breath once more.

“There’s no other explanation.” My brother raised his arms out to the sides. “No one disappears into thin air, even if they’re aided by an Earthwife. No one saw Wynleavethe palace grounds. No one has seen her since the ball—anywhere. All the searches and queries have turned up empty. There’s only one explanation—she’s beenherethe whole time… in your room.”

“What? You are mad,” I told him. “I vow to you that Lady Wyn isnotin my bedroom.”

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