Page 62 of A Song of Air
Whispering Winds
“Ev—”
“Not now, Bryson.” His response was clipped, angry.
He had every right to be, Bryce told herself that, but it still didn’t make swallowing that bitter anger any easier.
“Ev, we have to talk.”
“I said not right now!” His shout startled birds from their trees. From above, Bryson’s familiar let out a sound of indignation on her behalf, but she offered no commentary into Bryson’s mind.
It was for the best. She was tired of everyone invading her thoughts for the moment. Just like she quickly grew tired of Ev’s anger.
“Don’t talk to me like that,” she hissed.
They were both settled in a high tree, on a thick branch, as they awaited a familiar signal from Malika that would let them know when the wagon grew closer. Their masks were placed over their faces, hiding their identities.
His attention finally turned in her direction. He stood carefully on the branch, his body leaning slightly against the trunk of the tree to avoid falling off. His bow and arrow were at the ready in his hands, his fingers curling angrily around them.
“Like what?” he spat out. His eyes shone brightly from beneath the wooden mask.
“Ev.” Bryson sighed, resisting the urge to reach for him, if only because she knew it wouldn’t be well received. “We need to talk about what happened.”
“Oh, about how you disrespected me in front of everyone?” He scoffed and leaned away. “Or about how you all butfuckedthat Fae in front of me?”
Bryson’s cheeks heated. “That’s not what happened!”
“It certainly looked like it.”
“Ev, it’s not. He was going to kill you and I had to get in between. He’s the one who pulled me, and we fell—”
“You think me weak. You don’t trust that I can protect myself, protect you. You’re stronger and faster than me, but I’m not a child.” He sounded angry. He always sounded angry. It lived, brittle inside him just like it did inside Bryson. “Besides, you stayed on his lap for far too long. And if you could’ve seen your face when you turned around—” He broke off, making a noise mixed with impatience and hurt.
“What?” she demanded, her own irritation growing.
He sighed again, his voice growing softer. “That’s how you look whenwesleep together. And ithurt. Can’t you understand that?”
Her heart ached for what she’d done to him. She hadn’t meant to. It hadn’t been her fault, but he was right. It had been disrespectful on many levels. If Bryson was one thing, it was loyal. Faithful.
“I know the mating bond is drawing you to him,” Ev continued.
“You know I don’t want him. I don’t want the bond,” she defended, though her voice sounded weak, even to her own ears.
“Sure.” He didn’t sound convinced. “It didn’t look like that.”
“That was an accident, Ev.”
He just turned away from her and her flimsy excuse. He didn’t say another word again, and they stewed in the uncomfortable silence. She’d hurt his pride. Not only by intervening in the fight, but by getting lost in Weylyn’s vision for far too long.
His pride has been wounded,her familiar said from above.
I know.
