Page 200 of A Queen's Game
The males gaped at her as Az’s face paled. “I said to wait in bed.”
“Why is he calling you Azarys?”
He said nothing, just shaking his head, running a hand through his hair.
“Answer me.” She hated the emotion choking her voice. Deep down, she knew Az being a childhood nickname was most likely a lie. Stupid, how was she always so stupid?
Sylas’ breath caught, his eyes growing wide. “Tell me that isn’t what I think it is on her neck.”
Her hand flew to the spot Az bit, touching nothing but smooth skin.
“As I said, I confirmed it.” His hand reached out to Elyse, but she recoiled.
“One of you answer me right now,” she demanded
Sylas laughed, the humor not reaching his face. “Even for you, this is too far. You are the most foolish person I have ever met.” He shot a scathing glare at Az. “I’ll let Keyain know she’ll be down in a minute.”
“She won’t be down. We’re leaving today—”
“Look at her face; she’s not going to Chorys Dasi.” Sylas gave her a sad stare, shaking his head. “At least, I wouldn’t if I were her.”
“Go,” Az demanded. Sylas took off down the hall. “Elyse, I can explain.”
“You best start.”
“My real name is Azarys.”
Tears fell from her eyes, emotion choking her throat. Of course it was.
“Don’t cry, goddess,” he said, stepping towards her. She moved away from him, his expression falling.
“You lied to me all this time. Who are you?”
“I can explain more when we get to Chorys Dasi.”
“I’m not going with you, not when I just learned your actual name,” she said, exasperated. Az grabbed for hand as she backed into the room.
“Elyse, please don’t do this.”
“What else was a lie? The ‘special elves’ and wanting to be my husband? Falling in love with me?”
“None of that was a lie. Please—”
“Stop,” she said, ripping off the borrowed shirt and slipping into her gown. “I gave you the opportunity to be honest with me last night, yet you still didn’t tell me your real name. If you lied about something as basic as that, then you lied about other things.” She thought back to her dinner with Sylas, his warning now strikingly clear.The fool isn’t the partner who was tricked, but the partner who intended to deceive.
Az came up behind her, placing a hand on her arm. “I am falling in love with you, Elyse. Please, look at me.”
She jerked from his grasp. “Azarys,” she hissed, “I can’t trust you, let alone move to an unfamiliar city-state with you.” Elyse hated the tears that fell, hated the hurt she felt.
Keyain was downstairs. She needed to get to him, to go back to the palace. Her breath shook as she walked to a mirror that hung on the wall to make herself decent. Elyse paid little mind to the tangled mess on her head and the black splotches that marred under her eyes. No, the massive red mark on her neck drew her attention. Her hand flew to it, gasping.
Az came up behind her, a hand falling on her shoulder.
“What did you do?” she whispered.
“Elyse, please—”
She twisted away from him, holding the unzipped dress to her as she stumbled into the hallway. She was so stupid. How could she hide that from Keyain, from anyone at the palace?
