That didn’t mean she had to like it.
As if he just recalled Brynne was standing there, Zael extricated himself from the female’s arms. “Neriah, this is Brynne Kirkland.”
Recalling the name now, she smiled at Nethilos’s daughter. “How nice to meet you, Neriah.”
This close, she realized the young woman was likely no more than a teen. Eyes of a similar golden-brown shade as her father’s studied Brynne in avid interest.
“Brynne is my…colleague from the outside,” Zael said.
He glanced at Brynne as he spoke, his gaze reminding her of their agreement to maintain a platonic facade in front of his people. After the uncomfortable way the meeting with the elders had ended—with Tamisia in particular—Brynne couldn’t fault him for wanting to maintain an air of professionalism while they were there.
“Are you really a daywalker?”
Brynne smiled at the girl. “I really am.”
“And you really drink blood?”
Zael cleared his throat. “Neriah.”
“Sorry.” She grimaced and gave an apologetic shrug. “Maybe we can talk more later?”
“I’d like that,” Brynne replied.
As they spoke, she noticed Zael’s head was turned toward the council chamber, to where Tamisia was now standing. Her arms were folded over her chest, her expression coldly assessing.
If there had been room for doubt before, when the Atlantean female had been staring daggers at Brynne and doing her best to undermine the discussion of an alliance, there was no denying it now. Tamisia’s problem with her was jealousy.
The jealousy of a lover.
“I’ll be right back,” Zael murmured. “Brynne, will you be all right?”
“Of course.” Her answer was a lot more confident than she felt in that moment. “I’ll be fine. Go do what you have to do.”
“I’m going to take Brynne to the guest cottage,” Neriah announced helpfully.
He nodded. “I’ll catch up with you as soon as I can.”
Brynne stood there, refusing to watch as he strode back to meet Tamisia. She didn’t want to see the other woman’s smug reaction, nor wonder what Zael might be saying to soothe her ruffled feathers.
Unfortunately, not even her pride was strong enough to deny her foolish heart.
She turned her head to look for Zael, but he and Tamisia were already gone.
CHAPTER 29
Zael hated abandoning Brynne so abruptly, but he could tell from the look on Tamisia’s face that the female had something on her mind. Something more than just the seething jealousy she had made no effort to conceal as she watched him with Brynne in the courtyard.
And while Brynne had given him permission to go, without as much as a backward glance as he approached the other woman, he didn’t believe for a moment that she wasn’t at least a little suspicious about his relationship with the Atlantean female.
With good reason.
Tamisia’s chilly stare warmed considerably as he approached. “I didn’t mean to lure you away from your companion.”