The Scent (The Bryn and Sinjin Series Book 2) (2 page)

“I’m her sister, first and foremost!” I protested, wanting to slap the cocky smile right off his smarmy face. Then I decided I was doing nothing more than wasting valuable time, so I yanked my hand from his and started forward again.

“And what, exactly, did Luce tell you?” Sinjin inquired as he easily caught up with me. He gripped me around the arm again, trying to keep me from walking away from him.

I turned around to face him and crossed my arms in front of my chest to discourage him from further feasting on my cleavage. “He said he was coming for my sister and me—to bring us back with him. He said he would be here within the hour.”

The smile fell off Sinjin’s mouth and he studied me quietly, as if trying to ascertain whether or not he should trust the word of his enemy. That was when I realized I needed to do my damnedest to make him believe me, because it would be a hell of a lot easier to protect Jolie with Sinjin by my side.

I took a deep breath and exhaled. “Sinjin, I know we’ve had our disagreements and I know what you think of me,” I started.

“Do you?” he asked in a surprised tone with another of those charming yet self-satisfied smiles that made me want to gag. “Go on.”

“I think I have a good idea,” I grumbled. “But regardless of how much you distrust and dislike me, I hope you believe that everything I just told you is the truth because so many lives depend on it, including my sister’s.”

“And, yet, you are ever loyal to your own cause,” he pointed out. He shrugged as if that were reason enough to doubt whatever came out of my mouth.

“Yes, I will admit I am,” I started, but then paused because I couldn’t even be sure how loyal to my own cause I was anymore. It seemed that every day I spent at Kinloch Kirk made me distance myself further and further from the person I used to be and the life I used to live. “To an extent,” I corrected myself. “But what I can promise you, which is absolutely the truth, is that my number one priority is my sister and her baby.”

Sinjin didn’t say anything for the stretch of four heartbeats. Instead, he just studied me with razor sharp eyes, as if he were reading my thoughts to evaluate my honesty. “You believe Luce would harm our queen?”

“I don’t know,” I answered immediately before sighing in frustration at not knowing more than I did. “I mean, I don’t think he would …” My voice trailed off as I doubted the truth of my words. “I don’t know what Luce’s plan for Jolie is, and that’s the problem,” I finally admitted with a heartfelt sigh. “I don’t even know what his plan is for me.”

“Why do I find that difficult to believe?”

“Because no matter what I say to you, you’re bound to doubt me,” I fired back, my frustration and disappointment taking turns attacking me. “And that’s fine, Sinjin. You can hate me and doubt me all you want. I don’t care,” I admitted, taking a deep breath. “The only thing I do care about is Jolie, and on that point, I need you to believe me.” Neither of us said anything for the course of a few seconds. We just stared at each other. I could feel the time ticking by, seconds slipping through my fingers as I wondered how close Luce was to showing up. “Please, Sinjin, if you’ve never believed or trusted me before, please give me the benefit of the doubt now,” I begged him in a soft voice. “I’m telling you the truth. I swear I am.”

“Save your histrionics,” he said coolly. He eyed me narrowly for another few seconds before he exhaled and simply nodded. “I will give you the benefit of the doubt just this once.”

“Good,” I answered with a curt nod. Relief washed over me as I turned to the next topic at hand—locating my sister. I started to turn on my heel when his icy hand on my arm stopped me. I turned back around and found his eyes riveted on mine.

“If I discover you are lying, I will not forget it.”

“Yes, I already know—you’ll drain me of my blood and enjoy doing it and yadda yadda yadda. I get it,” I grumbled. But judging by the resolute expression on Sinjin’s face, he wasn’t finished with his warning.

“I will not be as forgiving as I have been in the past where you were concerned.”

“Okay,” I answered quickly, nodding. I wanted to drive home the point that I understood exactly what he was saying, and had no arguments with it so we could get the show on the road. “We’re running out of time, Sinjin. We need to get my sister to safety now!” I turned around again and scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of Jolie, but everyone was standing up, applauding, and blocking my view. “Do you see her?” I asked, while still keeping my eyes fastened on the crowd.

“I do not,” Sinjin answered. “I believe she and the warlock have already made their way down the aisle and are due to make their entrance as Mr. and Mrs. Balfour.”

“We have to get her out of here before that happens,” I answered absentmindedly, still searching for Jolie. “We also need to warn Rand, so he can figure out what to do about everyone else,” I finished and started forward. I was pleased to see Sinjin apparently knew the proceedings of weddings, because I certainly didn’t. As a warrior, though, I’d never had the need to understand such trivial matters, especially when marriage didn’t even exist in my tribe.

“Everyone else?” Sinjin repeated with a little, sarcastic laugh. “I thought your only concern was your sister?”

I glanced back at him and frowned, but didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to get into a long-winded conversation, especially when time was not on our side. Instead, I faced forward again and started up the walkway. I was so overcome with the need to find Jolie that I forgot I was wearing three-inch, stiletto heels. And I NEVER wore heels. Consequently, my next steps turned out to be too bold, and the heel of my shoe got caught in a crevice between the uneven stone pavers beneath me. I wobbled for a second or two, wondering if I could manage to right myself. Instead, I lost my balance. Emitting a funny chirp, I started to fall. Moments later, Sinjin wrapped his arm around my middle as he hoisted me up, making sure I saw his haughty grin as he did so.

“I always find it quite amusing that you are a stunning woman, and yet, you cannot function as one, my little imp,” he whispered in an entertained tone of voice. “I would sooner mistake you for a barbarian than a civilized lady.”

This wasn’t news and I wasn’t offended. “I’m a fighter, not a lover,” I said with a shrug and a smile.

Sinjin chuckled, but once his laugh died, neither of us said anything more. He pushed through the throng of people, and I hung onto his arm and continued to use him as my crutch. Even though I could see the end of the walkway that led back into Kinloch Kirk, trying to cut through the crowd was nearly impossible. The partygoers were merrily drinking what looked like mead. Some were singing and others had already started dancing. All of which prevented us from getting very far.

“Desperate times call for …” Sinjin started as he pulled me closer to him. Before I knew it, I felt the cold night air against my face. We dematerialized and swiftly bypassed the animated crowd. I instinctively hung on tightly to Sinjin, wrapping both of my arms around him. I wasn’t used to this form of travel and it made me nervous. I preferred to keep both of my feet firmly planted on terra firma … and in tennis shoes. When we landed, Sinjin glanced down at me with a boyish grin. “Desperate measures.”

I cleared my throat and frowned, not at all comfortable with being so close to him. The truth was that Sinjin, as a rule, made me uncomfortable. There was just something about him that made me feel things I had no business feeling—sexual things. And there was no room in my life for amorous longings.

As a warrior, I was always, first and foremost, a fighter. I was skillfully trained in the art of combat; and the whole point of my existence was to protect my tribe. I’d never before felt the stirrings of longing and sexual passion, which was just fine by me. But then I’d met Sinjin who just happened to be the most sexually charged man I’d ever encountered. And, yes, all of my former levelheadedness flew right out the window. Lately, it seemed my hormones were suddenly out of control, and I was beginning to feel like one tightly wound ball of sexual frustration.

But after Sinjin’s resolute threat that he would have no problem ending my life if he needed to, I became even firmer in my conviction that any feelings for Sinjin, sexual or otherwise, were a big, huge, gigantic, colossal mistake. It was best to banish them to the back of my mind, and take a mental or physical cold shower … repeatedly. I found some comfort in imagining that once I was safely away from Sinjin, and reunited with my people again, I could focus on simply rooting out and abolishing every last one of my sexual desires. Then I could look forward to returning to the cool, calm and calculated woman I used to be.

But for now, my focus had to remain on locating my sister.

“You may release me now, beautiful heathen,” Sinjin said with a knowing smile. Only then did I realize, with dismay, that I was still clinging to him.

I didn’t say anything but released him as if he’d just turned scalding hot. He continued to smile down at me in that self-assured and highly irritating fashion of his. I just frowned at him before facing forward and searching for any sign of Jolie.

Standing in the vestibule of Kinloch Kirk, we watched the crowd from the courtyard as it began to cluster in the empty foyer. I glimpsed up the stairs and saw the door to the first guest room along the hallway opening. My sister stepped out of it with Rand right behind her. She’d changed her clothes and was now dressed in a white pencil skirt with a white fitted jacket, which only seemed to accentuate her swollen belly. Her blond hair was pulled up into a neat chignon, and the mint green silk blouse beneath her jacket complemented her pale skin perfectly. Rand was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt that contrasted nicely against his tanned skin. He was undeniably handsome with chocolate brown hair that matched the chocolate shade of his eyes. His smile was sincere, and dimples appeared on either side of his mouth.

As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Balfour appeared in the hallway, a round of cheering and clapping arose from the audience and grew louder by the minute. But before Jolie could take another step, I started for the staircase.

“Ahem,” Sinjin cleared his throat. He gripped my waist with both hands and stopped me as soon as my foot touched the first step. “I am much faster than you, pet.”

No sooner did he embrace me than I felt the air swishing past my face again. He dematerialized and moments later, we were at the top of the staircase, right in front of my sister and Rand. I wasn’t sure who was more shocked at finding ourselves face-to-face, Jolie or me.

“What the …?” Jolie started, taking a step backward. Rand’s eyebrows furrowed in the middle of his forehead and he looked perturbed, to say the least.

“What’s …” he started.

“I don’t have time to explain!” I protested before lurching to grab my sister’s hand. I pulled her next to me in a huge bear hug that nearly made me lose my balance in my ridiculous shoes. Good thing Sinjin was standing directly behind me.

“Bryn!” Jolie reprimanded me. “What’s gotten into you?!”

“We’re running out of time!” I yelled back as I turned to face Sinjin to let him know we were both ready to get a move on.

“You need to calm down,” Jolie started. “And explain to me what’s gotten you into such a panic.”

“I can’t! We don’t have time!” I spat the words out and gripped Sinjin’s hand to let him know I was ready for him to materialize us to wherever he had in mind. “Go, Sinjin!”

But he immediately started chuckling and shook his head. He appeared completely at ease; damn him. “I’m afraid I cannot transport us holding hands, Princess, as I will not be able to maintain a good enough grip on either of you.”

“What is going on?” Rand finally demanded, his voice escalating with anger. He took turns spearing me and Sinjin with his narrowed eyes and fierce expression. “Why and how is Jolie in trouble?”

“Luce is coming,” I answered in an even-keeled voice as soon as I realized no one was going to listen to me until I explained myself.

“Luce is coming?” Jolie repeated. She frowned and I could see the fear starting to bubble up in her eyes.

How do you know?
she asked me through the telepathic connection we shared.

He told me,
I responded.

Just then, Rand reached forward and gripped my shoulder to get my attention. “Explain,” he started.

“I don’t have time to explain,” I repeated myself before shaking free from his hold. “All I can say is that he’s coming and you need to figure out how to protect your people.” I took a deep breath and shook my head again, my own panic starting to overwhelm me. “I can’t help you with that, Rand. All I can do is make sure I get my sister to safety and keep her away from Luce.”

“And why should I trust you with my wife’s safety?” Rand demanded, his expression one that said in no uncertain terms that he didn’t trust me.

“You can trust her,” Jolie announced firmly. Her eyes settled on me as she added, “I can trust her.”

“As your protector, your safety is my primary concern, my queen,” Sinjin announced as he faced my sister with a deadpan expression.

Jolie opened her mouth, looking like she was about to say something, when the sound of screaming hurt my ears. It was followed by the sounds of arguing, of loudly raised voices.

“He’s here,” I said, hearing my own hollow voice. “It’s too late. He’s already here.”